


JeriKyd Stories

by GayBaconPrincess



Category: Teen Titans
Genre: Crowe - Freeform, Depression, Hickeys at one point, M/M, big brother Herald, sensitive topics
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-17
Updated: 2017-09-16
Packaged: 2018-10-20 07:47:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 24,095
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10658094
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GayBaconPrincess/pseuds/GayBaconPrincess
Summary: The pairing Jericho and Kyd Wykkyd. Don't know exactly where this story is going, but it's by far my most popular one.





	1. First Meeting

**Author's Note:**

> Jericho is fourteen in this, Kyd Wykkyd is fifteen. Mentions of depression and other sensitive topics in this chapter.

Jericho sighed sadly as he stared up at the night sky. For these eight years he'd been living on this godforsaken mountain, the stars were his only friends. Everyone else who dared to venture this far up was either too scared of him, or simply didn't care. He had the stars, he had his guitar, and he had his own depressive thoughts.

He closed his eyes and welcomed back again that so familiar destructive feeling that had settled itself in Jericho's brain for the past few years. That feeling of a drop in his stomach, the feeling of hatred for everything around him including himself. He subconsciously tugged on the hem of his long sleeves. That feeling that made him want to put even more physical scars on his wrists to maybe match the numerous mental ones he had.

He cast his gaze back up to the sky, not surprised at all when the feeling stayed locked in his system. He used to be terrified of it, now he had no choice but to welcome it as a friend. As he looked up at the hundreds of glowing lights in the sky, he felt so...small. So useless and insignificant. Who is he to want attention anyway? What has he done to deserve anything but what he has? Jericho closed his eyes once again, hiccuping in between the quiet sobs escaping his chest. Trying to focus on anything other than the feeling of hot tears streaming down his face and the sight of his own small chest heaving up and down from his ragged breathing.

Meanwhile a few miles away, a gothic boy still in uniform roamed the town below Jericho's mountain looking for anything to distract him from his own thoughts. Kyd Wykkyd had been forgotten, again. He'd only just been recruited into the HIVE about a year ago, and he'd even made some friends. He was very involved in everything - he disrupted class, he was present at every event, but it proved no use. As Kyd Wykkyd was turning a corner in the academy, he overheard a conversation that involved his 'best friend'. He heard Angel say things like 'Wait, Kyd Wykkyd? Who is that? I don't remember him' and 'Oh he's that weird kid with the cape right? Yeah, what a freak!'. Once again, no matter how bad he wanted it or how hard he tried, he was left alone. Everyone he'd ever met in his life hated him, or thought he was a freakish monster. In the end, all he'd ever really have left is himself.

Kyd started walking faster as he felt burning tears brim his eyes. He had to find somewhere secluded, somewhere he could let his anger out without people seeing. If he ever showed any emotion other than aloofness to anyone, especially the academy students, all he'd be doing is proving everyone right about him. He'd prove to them once and for all that he's a monster, he's a killer, he's a wicked little demon. He looked up and spotted a mountain just beyond the village he was in, up there no one would be able to see his anger flashing out. The still angry demon teleported up to the mountain and immediately felt terrible for it. The place he had teleported was incredibly beautiful. The grass was soft and green and littered with hundreds of mutlicolored flowers. He didn't want to destroy a place like this with his anger, he didn't want to have to do this every time he got angry at all. He closed his ruby eyes and clenched his fists until his knuckles were white, his anger conjuring up balls of hellish flame that surrounded his hands. But before he could do anything with it, he was tackled onto the ground where the mystery person covered his hands with their own and put out the fires as they hissed in pain only briefly.

Kyd immediately got into his fighting position he had memorized in the academy, not a good one but it still worked nonetheless. He held up the stranger by their collar with his fist raised to show them that now was not the time to mess with him, or that was what it was supposed to do. As he picked up the person, their feet reached almost a foot and a half above the ground as they kicked their legs uselessly. Kyd's menacing glare of 'do not mess with me' easily turned into a fit of giggles that more or less said 'seriously man what the fuck that's hilarious'. Kyd set the tiny person down finally, giving up on hitting him and instead laughing until his lungs hurt while the other offended tiny person glared until he stopped.

Kyd coughed in an embarrassed way before straightening himself and attempting to explain his current situation. Kyd explained to the person that this was the only way to get rid of his anger without outright killing someone, and as he did he couldn't help but to stare at the emerald orbs watching him closely. They were really the only thing he could see in the pitch black darkness, but they were very alluring anyway. They were bright and alert yet filled with some kind of terrible sadness that made him want to hug the person and tell them everything was going to be okay. This was all very weird for him, he'd never felt anything like this before except for when he was faking with Angel.

Angel, sweet satan he hated her. He wanted that cold hearted emotionless pagan to die the cruelest death he could imagine. They were friends, or so he thought. Kyd was just like any other villain, except for one aspect. Kyd Wykkyd...didn't like girls. Kyd Wykkyd was homosexual, and that caused him a major problem. Angel had a similar problem, so they made an agreement. Angel and Kyd Wykkyd would be each other's cover up until they were both ready to come out of the closet to everyone, but that changed when he heard what she had said about him.

And then the anger was back, he wanted to destroy, to kill, to punish, to hurt. Just as his eyes were glowing with an eerie red light and his hands were clenched again, the mystery person he had just been laughing at grabbed his hand and started running with him to some cabin like house hidden from searching eyes. This random act of exertion temporarily hid away his thoughts of anger and eliminated the glow coming from his body as he tried his best to keep up with the stranger he had just met.

He was dragged into the terribly kept cabin and finally got a good look at the stranger. It was a boy, oops. He had fluffy blonde hair and huge beautiful emerald eyes and an almost womanly figure. The ethereal boy sat Wykkyd down on the floor of what looked to be a living room and started signing, rapidly demanding why he had this anger problem and how he could fix it by not destroying his precious mountain flowers.

Finally, under the unrelenting gaze of the admittedly cute boy, he broke and decided it couldn't really hurt to tell someone why.

Jericho listened closely, completely absorbed in the story of this Kyd Wykkyd's past. Of course it had nothing to do with the fact that he was desperate for company, or that the taller boy was much more attractive looking than he should be.

After a while of talking, Jericho found out that Kyd Wykkyd was actually Elliot Matthew Knight. Elliot was born in France and spent most of his early life growing up in Paris with his famous parents, both were highly acclaimed singers and Elliot wanted desperately to follow in their footsteps. Then one day, he found out something he shouldn't have. Elliot's mother was never supposed to have Elliot, when they tried having a child she was barren. So she made a secret deal with a demon and traded one thing for another. Morgana Knight was allowed to give birth to her child, but it had terrible consequences. That's why when Elliot was born they locked him up in their mansion constantly, he was never allowed to have a single friend. He was born with his red eyes and fangs along with all of his other terrifying characteristics, but what was really terrifying was when he first told his mother about the voice. Since he was born, a deep demonic voice was always urging him to do bad - to steal, to bully, to fight, to hurt. Finally, when he was nine years old, the voice offered him relief from the constant urging. He immediately accepted, unaware of what the voice had planned. Elliot blacked out soon after, and when he woke up the mansion was completely destroyed, his parents lying dead in the rubble close to where he stood. Elliot tried to move on, but everywhere he went people prosecuted him. He was a monster, a killer, a nothing. All the people he came across beat him and stole whatever money he had salvaged from stealing. Elliot met Brother Blood many years after the incident, he was told once again he could never amount to anything but a lonely wicked evil-doer. So that is what he became.

Jericho felt terrible about this whole epidemic, so he did the only thing he knew how to do. Jericho leaned over and hugged Elliot tightly, mouthing the words 'I promise from now on, you won't be lonely'. Kyd Wykkyd felt tears stream down his face as all the emotion he'd hidden away for so long burst out of him in a fit of sobbing into Jericho's shoulder.

The two boys learned much about and from each other that night. Elliot ended up spending the night with his new friend. Jericho taught Elliot how to meditate, relieving him of his constant need to destroy things when he got angry. Elliot played his own written songs for Jericho, and taught him how to write his own in order to relieve h

is need to harm himself to escape his feelings. The two boys laughed and talked and promised. They promised each other no matter what, they'd always remain friends. And so they did.

Elliot and Jericho ended up growing up together really, or they helped each other grow up at least. Elliot met up with Jericho every single night, even if it was just to check up on him. Jericho thought about Elliot constantly, to the point where he feared the very worst - love. Elliot was also the first person to learn about Jericho's story, and helped him through it by comforting him with his vivid nightmares. Jericho was the first person to hear Elliot sing since the accident with his parents, which Elliot enjoyed unbelievably. Elliot was the last person Jericho expected to completely accept and encourage him becoming a Titan, despite that meaning they'd be on other sides. To Elliot, as long as Joseph was happy, he was happy. They'd make it work. And they sure as hell did.


	2. Secret Admirer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jericho is 16 and Kyd Wykkyd is 17 in this. This takes place after Jericho has joined Titans North. Also, I live in an alternate universe where Jinx is still a bad guy because fight me that's why.

Jericho looked at the mysterious note in his hand for the fifteenth time that day. Someone had been leaving him beautifully written love notes, roses, and his favorite types of candy. How this mystery person knew what it was he never really questioned. His only concern was the fact that he didn't really know anyone he was interested in. He'd just moved into Star City, and the team he was assigned to with the titans he wasn't into like that.

The Herald was...nice, he supposed. But he was more like a best friend than anything. Argent was much to angry and demeaning for his tastes, always having something rude to say about him or somebody else. Kole was like a little sister to him, he'd already found out about her crush on him but they'd sorted it out and were good friends now. Red Star was much too friendly, Jericho liked people who appreciated his sense of humor. Dark, sometimes disturbing, was hilarious to him. And he may or may not have had a 'type' for the dark, brooding, and mysterious kind of guys. He didn't know anybody he was interested in, so the love letters were useless. Though they were nice to look at when he was in a bad mood.

Jericho sighed as he picked up the black rose he'd been given a few days ago. It was sweet really, whoever this mystery person was took the time to rip off all the thorns and then placed the delicate rose in his hands as he was sleeping. The beautiful flower being the first thing he saw in the morning when he woke up. Albeit a little creepy, it was endearing in a strange way. Jericho smiled down at the rose and breathed in it's scent before looking back out onto the view of the ocean from the tower. Coffins and roses, what a strange combination of scent. If only this mystery person would reveal themselves…

Not far from the window Jericho was staring out of, a dreamily sighing Kyd Wykkyd sat on the roof ledge of an abandoned building. It'd been him, all of it. In Elliot's defense, it wasn't his fault! How dare the tiny blonde be so damn cute and expect him to not fall horns over heels for him! It's like he was trying to ruin Kyd's reputations for being unfeeling! The blonde was far too cute to ignore, he just wanted to pick him up and hug him tight. He reminded Elliot of someone though...a boy he'd met in Tibet that he'd lost touch with a few years ago. It couldn't possibly be the same person of course. Kyd had been deliberately trying to forget about the blonde he'd left behind before, in a way he'd broken his own heart.

One day, Joseph Wilson told Elliot about how he didn't want to stay on his mountain forever - he wanted to make a difference in the world by saving lives and being a hero. Elliot told him to follow his heart, despite how cheesy that was. If he wanted to be a hero then he should be that. Joseph promised him he'd become a hero, and Elliot promised himself he wouldn't hold this feeling above his own head forever.

That night, Elliot left Joseph's mountain and never returned. Never saw him again. It was for the best, or so he kept telling himself. By that time Elliot had already accepted the fact that he was in love with Joey Wilson, but a villain loving a hero only means trouble. Heroes are very black and white visioned, a kind of world where he just didn't fit in. In order for Joey to be happy, Elliot had to leave him behind. It hurt enormously, and he sometimes looked back on all the songs they'd written together to make his guilt lessen just slightly. He ran away only to find himself falling for a different blonde a few years later.

Every one of his friends had already told him to just confess to the titan blonde already since his continuous flirting was getting him nowhere. Even Jinx had said she'd be okay with them dating as long as they left her alone about it. Kyd just couldn't bring himself to do it though. All his life people had used him, abused him, made him out to be a fool with a hopeless heart. He'd much rather stay where he is, watching the oblivious blonde from afar instead of risking the chance of his surprisingly fragile heart being broken again. It hurts to watch the blonde throw away his tokens of love, but it's better than being taken advantage of yet again.

Elliot closed his eyes and distracted himself with the sound of Mystery Skulls playing through his headphones, he wished so bad that life wasn't so complicated. He wondered what Joseph would say about the situation, he was always much better with handling his emotions than Kyd. Probably something really cheesy...Elliot frowned once again as his thoughts switched in between Jericho and Joseph.

Elliot had a deep sinking feeling in the back of his throat, in a way he already knew that Jericho and Joseph were the same person and just refused to accept it. He wouldn't accept the fact that no matter where he teleported or why he left, he'd always be in love with this one person who controlled his every thought. Everything he did, he did thinking of Joseph and/or Jericho. When stealing Kyd would always think of whether he'd approve and how nice the jewelry would look on him, Kyd dreamt of him when he was asleep, all of his thoughts were like one big turntable maze. No matter which twist or turn he took, it always came back to this one person he couldn't get rid of. And for some reason, it felt really nice.

Kyd sighed sadly one last time before smiling bittersweetly at the Titan's tower in the distance. Joseph Wilson would be his one day, Joey just didn't know it yet. Kyd's HIVE communicator rang out obnoxiously and Kyd looked one more time at the tower before teleporting to the coordinates sent to him by Jinx the one and only.


	3. Crowe

Jericho, now Joseph once again, walked through the bustle of the dancing crowd. Joseph for once decided to finally take a break from all the hero-ing, he was just so sick of the other Titans' monochrome way of thinking. Joseph, if you couldn't guess, is the least monochrome Titan to ever join. To him, there was both light and dark in everyone despite whether they were hero or villain. It made him want to stand up and sock Robin straight in the face when he said things like 'scum-bag criminals' or 'worthless no goods'. Robin had no idea what they were going through! He'd met many villains in his life, of course while under his alias. Almost all of them had reason for what they did, they were poor and would be left homeless if they didn't steal, they hurt people who'd hurt others and honestly deserved it to teach them their place, or they caused chaos for the pure fact that they couldn't afford anymore of their much needed medication.

Another fun fact about Jericho, he was not two but three. Jericho had met many good friends of his under the alias of 'Crowe', a male villain often mistaken for female who ventured into the city looking for nothing but trouble wherever he went.

He always donned either a white domino mask or a small seventeenth century plague doctor mask just big enough to hide his face. His fluffy blonde hair was ruffled and matted intentionally and he littered it with dead or black colored flowers to deter any seeking Titans looking for Jericho. He wore a white sleeveless dress the size of his tunic that covered his neck and white leggings paired with white boots, purposefully becoming a living metaphor that light and dark are not to be judged right away. He wore long fingerless white gloves that went to his upper arms, and a black anarchist symbol on his chest if not to simply piss off Robin when he spotted him. He rarely removed his mask, and when he did he was even more unrecognizable. He wore a white skin paler, making him look almost ghostly. He wore ominous looking black lipstick and black eyeliner, granting him an even girlier appearance.

As Crowe, Joseph could do and be whatever he wanted. He was almost better than Robin when it came to his hand-to-hand combat skill, so instead of using his normal powers and giving away his identity he could easily escape any and all authority using his bo staff and natural skill, even the Titans. He'd made a name for himself in the villain world, albeit a not very known one. He never stole anything though, he always returned whatever he did. He simply craved the thrill, the escape from hero life. He'd found much better friends among the villains either way.

Johnny Rancid was a close friend of his, though he was completely convinced Crowe was female at first. Punk Rocket was also close to him, he felt pity more than anything for the schizophrenic rocker. He was friendly with most of the HIVE as well, Jinx especially.

Once he ventured into Gotham to piss of the boy blunder and by the time he made it home Harley Quinn was completely convinced Crowe was her apprentice. Joseph didn't really mind all that much though, she was a sweet woman as long as she wasn't near the Joker. Joseph had given up on his own mother a long time ago, and Harley was more of a mother than he could ask for. He quickly made nice with villains that would usually blast him to pieces in his hero form.

Kitten had grown into seeking him out as a natural habit when she had trouble deciding what to where to certain events with Fang, she was actually a nice person when she wanted to be and the gossip she shared wasn't too bad either. Cheshire religiously came to him when she had trouble with her unruly hair, and she often gave him a special japanese dish to try when he came over. Blackfire found him all around hilarious because as long as he wasn't in Titan uniform, he could say all the terrible salty things he thought about the Titans out loud. Red X often followed him around on his late night roof hoppings simply to hear him rant about Robin.

Overall, Joseph had a better life when he was playing the neutral bad guy. His friends, albeit a little strange, were all always there for him. Joseph usually only became Crowe when he really needed to blow off some steam, but there were times when he just wanted to have some fun without birdbrain watching his every move.

Crowe weaved his way through the mostly drunk crowd searching for the bathrooms. Person after person bumped into him and shoved him around, which he didn't mind all that much. After all, while Jericho couldn't act out in public Crowe could easily shove them back and spit out some insulting words at them. Which he took full advantage of the whole way to the bathrooms. Crowe reveled in the amount of people, mainly guys, staring at him as he walked past. Around here he had a reputation, one that mostly said 'look but don't touch or he'll punch you so hard your grandkids are gonna hurt'. Crowe was the human incarnate of trouble.

Meanwhile in the men's bathrooms Kyd Wykkyd, or Elliot Knight, was having a meltdown. See-more had dragged Elliot to the club because he was determined to get his friend out of this school girl crush funk he's been in. He just needed him to talk to one guy and he'd be fine. Elliot had even dressed up a little. His cowl was gone obviously, his ragged black hair in a loose ponytail as always. He wore a black leather jacket with spiked studding the shoulder and a T-shirt with the punisher symbol printed on it. He wore black skinny jeans with a pair of black combat boots that went to his mid-calf and was covered in spikes and buckles. His pointed ears were lined with his favorite piercings, three on each ear and a gauge. His pentagon tattoo just barely peeked out of the sleeve of his jacket, he looked like the person that would start a fight with someone three times his size in an alley. Which he very gladly would and would probably win anyway.

While Elliot glared angrily into the mirror of the bathroom he silently cursed his friend for dragging him to such a stupid place. What moron would find him attractive anyway? He has the personality of a deceased goldfish and he despised his own looks, so what was the point? Either way, Seymour wouldn't let him leave until he at least talked to someone. He rolled his eyes and barely registered when someone else walked into the bathroom and over to the mirror beside his own.

"Hey~! I don't think I've ah...seen you around before." Purred an extremely alluring voice from next to the demon boy. He finally looked over and his first thought wasn't exactly all that innocent. Just...wow. The boy next to him looked...really good. The stranger was also not so inconspicuously checking Elliot out. His eyes slowly going down Elliot's whole body, practically undressing the confused boy with his eyes. But why was he talking to him? At first Elliot looked behind him to make sure he really was being spoken to and was still in disbelief when the other giggled cutely at his reaction.

"Yes you silly. For someone who looks so mean and tough you sure are shy, hm?" Came the much smaller boy coyly as he leaned over and slowly traced his hand up and down Elliot's arm while playing with the collar of his leather jacket. Elliot honestly didn't know whether he should be scared or still attracted, but that look the other boy was giving him…

"Wow...that jacket of yours really doesn't do what's underneath a whole lot of justice does it? Maybe...you might want to take it off." Purred the other boy, more or less feeling up the taller ones chest as he leaned in extremely close - practically whispering into his ear. Elliot couldn't suppress the violent shiver that ran through his body as he felt his blush slowly travel throughout his face. When the other started slowly kissing his neck is when he knew he was done for.

Crowe slowly and more than sensually started openly kissing Elliot's pale neck while smirking at the quiet noises he was eliciting from the other boy. He giggled at the drawn out purr that came from the demon soon after, nipping his neck quickly which earned him a jolt of surprise before he pulled away. Crowe bit his lip and grinned widely at the trail of black lipstick stains he had left on the now wobbly legged stranger. He quickly pulled out a small rip of paper with a ten digit number on it before signing the universal 'call me' symbol and sashaying his way back into the club's loud music, ready to take the party on by storm yet again.

Elliot stood there dumbfounded, blushing heavily and rubbing up and down his still tingly neck.

"What...what just happened…?" He said to himself as he looked down at the number he was given confusedly. Maybe he'd finally get over Jericho after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Crowe is my way of making a not-so-evil villain Jericho who dOESN'T die. If you don't like Crowe, I completely understand. When I first wrote Crowe, it was for my own venting.


	4. The Artifact

Crowe gracefully leaped from roof to roof in Jump City, he was sick to death of Robin's fat mouth running on about this new artifact in the Jump Museum and how he'd gotten the highest quality security known to the city for it. He wouldn't really steal it, only borrow it for a few days before returning it to give him a good scare and maybe shut him up. Joseph really should stop doing this, but he couldn't help it. This thrill of becoming Crowe was beginning to become much like a drug for him, whenever he needed relief from the stress that was Jericho he'd go back to the villain life for another hit.

Crowe looked down at the beautiful glittering jewel from the glass windowed roof he was crouched on, it was beautiful really. It was a pyramidic stone with a red eerily glowing ruby in the center resembling an eye, 'the all-seeing eye' is what the people of the city had called it. Crowe smirked mischievously as he planned out a scheme in his mind to snatch the jewel from it's place in the cramped glass box it lay in.

What Crowe didn't know, was that he wasn't the only one with his eyes on the precious jewel inside the museum. Kyd Wykkyd glared at the white clad boy from a rooftop not far from his, crouching just low enough for him to hide from the other so called 'villain'. There was no way Kyd was letting that checkered Harley Quinn rip-off steal his prize! He'd already made a fool of him in the bathrooms of one of Jump's clubs, there was no way he'd let Crowe make a fool of him twice. Especially on this. Unlike Crowe, Kyd actually had plans for the mystic jewel once he got a hold of it. It may have been his only chance to ever win Jericho's affections!

Kyd Wykkyd spent many years studying ancient tomes to better understand his demonic DNA, and he had definitely heard of the all seeing eye before. The all seeing eye was a magical relict from ancient Egypt and had many uses when put to the right task. Kyd was going to use it to see into the future, he just needed to know he had just a small chance at getting together with Jericho. If he didn't he could always change it by changing the present, he just needed to get to that relic before the ghostly boy in front of him.

Kyd looked up from his plotting only to find that Crowe was already setting to work to get the glass window of the ceiling open, and teleported quickly towards Crowe before stomping his foot on the glass square he was working on quietly removing. Crowe looked up startled before glaring harshly at the demon, who did he think he was - interrupting his fun? Crowe quickly performed a fighting move he'd learned as a child by swinging from where he was and kicking Kyd Wykkyd's feet out from under him. Kyd Wykkyd barely had time to process the fact that he'd been sprawled on the ground of the roof before Crowe kicked him far away enough to nonchalantly set back to his work. At this point, Kyd was just right out offended.

Kyd Wykkyd stood up and brushed himself of the dirt that had gotten on his cape before marching over to the same glass pane while ignoring the blistering pain in his side. Wow, for someone so small he sure had one hell of a kick. Kyd glared harshly again while crossing his arms, waiting for the outwardly ignoring him boy to at least look up at Kyd. Crowe did no such thing, he honestly didn't really care. Now Kyd was seething, how dare he ignore an opponent! Not even the Titans were so rude!

Finally out of sheer annoyance, Kyd stomped on the glass even harder. Kyd should not have done this. By stomping on the glass, he managed to cause it to shatter into a spiderweb of pieces and let both Crowe and himself fall nearly two stories to the museum's tiled ground. While Crowe did a quick backflip move and landed gracefully and elegantly on the ground, Kyd fell on his side and groaned in pain and humiliation as he saw Crowe trying his hardest not to giggle at him.

Kyd quietly hissed in pain as he stood up, clutching his still throbbing side. He finally mustered the strength to let go and get into his battle position when he noticed the silent Crowe had managed to already make his way to the area surrounding the artifact. Crowe seemed to already be working on a plan to get past all the security lasers and weapons. Oh no, no way! That was his steal! Kyd attempted pulling a sneak attack move on Crowe by lunging at him from behind, only to have Crowe boredly duck down while still staring at the isolated artifact. Kyd soared right over his crouched body, tumbling onto the ground until he hit his hard harshly on the black boxed stand holding the artifact up. He groaned in pain as he tried not to let the 'thump' he heard come from his head echo in unison.

He turned around dizzily, expecting Crowe to be rocking with laughter at his pain and instead found the bombshell blonde to be lazily striding towards the container that held the prized jewel. Crowe smirked victoriously as he held up the all seeing seeing eye to his sneering face. Kyd had never really felt the urge to hiss or snarl at someone before, but he supposed there was a first time for everything. Crowe's victorious smile soon faded though since they both only just now remembered the security lasers Kyd had set off. An array of weapons were now focused on both of their internally panicking bodies, ready to fire if they dared to move even a little until the authorities arrived. Crowe quickly threw the artifact in the air before pointedly kicking it into the open area just outside of the lasers, heaving in a deep breath before holding out a gloved hand for Kyd Wykkyd to shake.

"Oh no! No way in hell! You've humiliated me, mocked me, laughed at me, probably made my lungs and kidneys switch places, and now you expect us to work together?! Never!" Kyd yelled angrily at a now glaring Crowe. That glare stirred something in Kyd, he could've sworn he'd seen it before...a long time ago… But before Wykkyd could go into deep thought about this, a monotonous robotic voice spoke to them through a set of speaker built into the high tech security.

"Please refrain from attempting to escape. The authorities will arrive shortly. Please refrain from attempting to escape. The authorities will arrive shortly." The robotic voice repeated over and over as Crowe angrily gestured towards the speakers. Finally Kyd realized he didn't very well have a choice in the matter.

"Okay, fine. But after we get out of this mess, that artifact is still fair game. The moment we're clear of the lasers, we're enemies again. Got it?" Kyd said sternly, as if he actually had any control over their current situation. Crowe grudgingly rolled his eyes and nodded his head at the demon boy, crossing his arms curtly as Kyd Wykkyd rolled his eyes right back at him.

Kyd glared harshly at the speaker still blaring it's monotone commands, causing the mechanism to glow with black energy and eventually explode. Kyd got into his normal fighting position, facing the armada of weapons aimed at both him and Crowe as Crowe followed suit. One thing Kyd Wykkyd was not good at however, was working in or with a team. At least with the five he could pretty much just follow his own rules, but with this marshmallow disguised stick of dynamite if he tried any such thing he'd most likely be punched in the face.

"Alrighty then Scare-Crowe, what's the plan?" Kyd asked, smirking at the equipment still aimed at them. Crowe winced at the nickname before curtly and roughly stomping on Kyd Wykkyd's toe and signalling for Kyd to simply follow his lead. Kyd hissed in pain and grabbed his foot before nodding and watching as the dainty boy approached the array of equipment and the once again set up laser system.

Crowe closed his eyes and slowly sucked in a deep breath, concentrating hard. He opened his eyes abruptly, almost scarily and then he was off. Crowe did a series of extremely complicated movements, flipping into the air, sliding under lasers on the ground, it was all way too complicated and difficult looking to Kyd. Before Kyd could even attempt such a task though, he noticed that Crowe had missed one laser and now in the line of sight of a tranquilizer dart. Kyd somehow managed to make his way past the previous lasers and blocked the dart from hitting Crowe from behind, to which Crowe gasped in both surprise and disbelief that Kyd had actually saved him. Crowe smiled, and before either of them knew it they were moving together perfectly. They blocked any weapons from ever hitting them, they moved perfectly in sync, and they seemed to expertly cover each other's weaknesses.

When they were finally to the other side of the lasers they'd taken out every weapon built into the system and out of the pure excitement of the moment Crowe jumped up and hugged Kyd Wykkyd by his neck, smiling like a child. Once he finally realized what he was doing, he immediately shoved Kyd away from him and acted like it was Kyd's fault that he did that. Crowe snapped his head towards where he had kicked the relic and the two thieves glanced at each other warily before they were both bolting for the jewel.

They both managed to grab the relic at the same time, starting to do a dance of sorts. They punched and kicked each other, yanking the artifact away from the other but it seemed nearly impossible for one to land a hit on the other. They moved away just in time before they attempted it again. Crowe and Kyd Wykkyd stood both clawing onto the artifact, glaring daggers at each other before Crowe accidentally moved his hand to get a better grip and caused the artifact to start glowing a sickly green color.

Kyd Wykkyd had barely uttered out a 'no don't-!' before a green flame erupted from all sides of the pyramid and consumed them both. They both dropped the artifact and watched in a mixture of anger and awe as their villain clothes melded into strange civilian looking clothes.

Crowe distantly heard Kyd Wykkyd curtly say that the button Crowe pushed melded them both into their 'true forms' as Crowe looked down at the clothes he remembered from his childhood. He wore paint stained blue jeans and a Rob Zombie T-Shirt with all of the dates and venues of his most famous concerts. His mask and make-up for some reason was not removed, and Crowe looked up confusedly at Kyd Wykkyd before he immediately burst into uncontrollable laughter.

The dark emotionless Kyd Wykkyd was a huge nerd as a child apparently. He wore huge thickly framed hipster glasses and wore a purple dress vest. This was paired with a nice looking black undershirt and black skinny jeans with a hilariously ironic pair of Batman sneakers. His cowl was gone and replaced with gelled back ebony hair that was tied harshly behind him. He looked ready for a concert of some sort, a singing competition perhaps? Either way, he looked like an enormous nerd to Crowe, who couldn't dare halt his laughter.

"This. Is what happens. When humans. Mess with artifacts." Kyd said angrily as he delicately picked up the artifact that caused this whole mess and drew a strange design into the side with his finger causing it to reverse it's effects. Soon, both Crowe and Kyd Wykkyd were once again in their uniforms and Kyd held the artifact close to himself. Kyd tucked the artifact under his dark cloak, all he really had to do was teleport it back to the rest of his stash. Kyd made one crucial mistake in this process though, he looked back at Crowe before he teleported the artifact. Crowe seemed to have had admitted defeat and was sadly picking up his bo-staff from the rubble covered ground. He looked absolutely heartbroken that he'd lost to Kyd Wykkyd of all people, all he could really do about it though was leave and not look back. Crowe deeply cared about his combat skills, and yet he'd lost to the person who couldn't fight the Titans for his life. No point in getting caught by the cops for something you hadn't even stolen correctly though right?

Kyd stared down sadly at the artifact, debating his final decision. Finally, Kyd quietly stepped towards where Crowe was looking for his staff through the rubble and held out the golden pyramid to him. Crowe looked up surprisedly before gingerly taking the pyramid from him, blinking confusedly as Kyd smiled at him gently. Crowe watched Kyd as he slowly walked into the middle of the room where the moonlight hit him just perfectly, and prepared to teleport away from the disaster area the duo had created.

"But...why? I...I don't want your pity idiot!...Weren't you stealing it for a reason? You had to have!" Crowe shouted angrily. He couldn't stand the fact that this terrible a-hole of a person had given up their chance with a million dollar steal to him, the guy that had beaten him badly at the beginning of their meeting. Most villains, including Kyd Wykkyd, stole for a reason. Crowe stole for the thrill while Kyd looked like he knew what he was doing with the artifact itself. If it was something important he couldn't just take it! It was his pride that was hurt, not his bank account!

"I was going to use it. But...you looked like you needed it a lot more than I do. My uses for it would have been considered selfish by most anyway." Kyd said quietly as he looked at Crowe with a kind face. Crowe shook his head gently to this.

"What...what were you going to use it for?" Crowe asked softly as he stared down at the pyramid somberly. Kyd's deep chuckle echoed through his head for a bit before he finally spoke.

"I...I was gonna look into the future to see whether or not my stupid school girl crush would ever come true...Pretty dumb huh?...Can you at least do me a favor? When you're done with whatever you're gonna do with the artifact, I want you to give the jewel in the middle to Jericho. It'd look...really nice on him." Kyd said brokenly. He sounded absolutely heartbroken. Crowe couldn't stand that look on his face, he wanted to take all the sadness away and he didn't completely understand why.

"Why Jericho? Why not use it for yourself?" Crowe further interrogated with a confused frown on his face. Kyd turned to face him finally and gave him a small heartbroken smile, that smile was filled with lost hope and those eyes were brimmed with heart aching tears.

"Because...Because I love him." Kyd said simply, his gaze starting to cast down onto the floor as he sighed sadly. Crowe couldn't take this anymore, he'd known for a while now that Kyd Wykkyd liked him but this was too much. Never in his life had he met anyone who cared so deeply about him. Someone who went through such a rough beating and possible jail time just to see if they had a chance, even if slim. Someone who cried heartbroken tears because they were convinced that they would never be loved.

But Kyd Wykkyd was so very wrong. He was very much loved.

Crowe stared blankly at Kyd Wykkyd for a few moments before throwing the artifact to the ground, smashing it into hundred of chucky pieces. Kyd looked startled and confused by the sudden crash, but before he could even react he was being kissed gingerly by Crowe. The kiss lasted about half a second before Crowe pulled back to avoid Kyd pushing him off. Crowe ripped the white domino mask off of his face before rubbing his face against his arms, erasing all the makeup he had on and staring deeply into Kyd's now awestruck eyes.

"I don't need some million dollar artifact to know that you love me moron. I...I love you too and...And...and all I need to know you love me is-" Joseph said before he was cut off by Kyd Wykkyd kissing him deeply. It didn't take long for Joey to relax into the much more prolonged kiss, wrapping his still gloved arms around the black clad demon's neck loosely. Joey finally pulled back and rested their foreheads together.

"You. ...All I need is you." The blonde said breathlessly as Kyd chuckled and quickly grabbed him by the waist as they heard cop cars echoing outside the ruined building. Soon both of the lovestruck boys were on the roof of Titan's Tower, smiling widely.

"Go get changed Jericho. I'm guessing it's been somewhat of a long day for you. You need to get some sleep." Kyd said as he emphasized the Jericho in the sentence, ready to teleport himself home. Crowe smiled and nodded before walking towards the ledge that was right about his room's window. But before he jumped into his room, he bolted towards Kyd Wykkyd and turned him around abruptly to kiss his cheek and blushily rushing through the window.

Kyd smiled and gaped as he slowly reached up to touch his electrified cheek. He silently prayed he wouldn't arrive back home with a black lipstick stain on his face, but he also wouldn't mind all that much. Kyd sighed happily as he looked up at the sky, chuckling as he finally left for his own room.


	5. Christmas Kiss

Jericho sat in the passenger seat of an inconspicuous black car parked in the Jump City park. Well, as of now he was Joseph, free of the stress of being a Titan but also not wanted in forty five states as Crowe. Joey looked out of the front window, admiring the small white flakes of snow that would land on the car and meld into it's brothers and sisters. Watching the snow fall was always one of his favorite things about Christmas, it was nice to have a break from all the stress of the holidays.

Joey's calm bliss was interrupted by a bored Elliot searching through radio stations for something to entertain him. Elliot glared harshly at the static coming from the speakers as if he could use intimidation to find a nice setting for the broken stereo. Joey went back to his snow gazing but abruptly halted as he heard the familiar tune of Magic sung by the Mystery Skulls playing through the worn out speakers of the sleek car. Joey laid his hand on top of Elliot's while still looking at the snow before slowly resting his head on Elliot's shoulder, hugging Elliot's arm close to him like a stuffed animal.

Elliot smiled and removed his arm from his boyfriend's frail grip before wrapping his arm around Joey's waist and resting his chin on Joey's head. This was about as far as they'd gone since they first got together, the relationship as a whole was absolutely fantastic - Elliot had never felt so happy and content in his life. But they hadn't had their first real kiss yet, and he kept wondering if he should try. Neither of them really counted the whole museum incident since it was more of an in the moment kind of kiss.

Joey noticed the troubled look on the taller's face and immediately knew what he was thinking about. Joseph knew that Elliot had been thinking about having their first kiss for a while now, and so was Joey. Joey ducked from under Elliot's embrace and reached into the bag he brought with him to start shuffling through it, he was going to save this as a surprise for Christmas but...he supposed Elliot wouldn't be too upset.

Elliot was very confused when Joey hid something behind his back and smiled up at him in a mischievous way. Joseph slowly leaned in to place a soft, sweet kiss on his boyfriend's cold pale lips. Elliot widened his eyes only slightly before melting into it, completely ignoring that Joey had placed some foreign object on his head. The kiss was innocent, soft, and the sweetest thing Elliot felt he had ever experienced before.

Elliot felt slightly sad when Joey pulled away from their short embrace, blushing as he kissed Elliot's cheek and mouthed the words 'Merry Christmas' to him softly. Elliot licked his lips a little before answering him, somewhat surprised that Joseph wore strawberry chapstick. Elliot gave Joey's blonde covered forehead a quick kiss before falling back into their previous embrace with Joey leaning on his chest, watching the snow.

Elliot was only slightly surprised when a piece of mistletoe Joey had placed on his head fell from his messy ebony crown. Elliot rolled his eyes good naturedly before sighing happily to himself. For once, it really was a merry Christmas for him.


	6. Of Snuggles and Purrs

Jericho stared up at his ceiling in frustration and lack of sleep. He lay in his small bed in his ridiculous pajamas, a loose white Gorillaz tank top made even looser by his small frame and a pair of long red and black striped pajama pants made looser by how unbelievably short he was. It seemed like he didn't own anything that fit him these days. His black and purple sheets were strewn across the bed, laying anywhere that wasn't on him and you could obviously see dark bags under his eyes.

Jericho glared harshly at the starlit sky he saw from his window and sighed heavily. This was the third night in a row he'd gone without sleep, causing him to be an emotional and physical wreck the next day. He finally gave into the voice in the back of his mind giving him the solution to his problem and rolled over to grab his phone. He quickly opened up the texting app to a name that was labeled 'Kitty Wykkyd 3' before grudgingly texting his thoughts onto the phone.

'hey batboy, you up?' he texted oh-so kindly. Jericho waited for a moment, silently pleading through his phone that the older boy was awake and willing to help his current situation. Just when he was about to give up on getting a message back, another small text box joined his on the obnoxiously bright screen.

'haha very funny, no shit im up im a walking talking sleep disorder' came the text. Jericho silently giggled at his comment before he saw the other boy was still typing.

'btw if you dont stop calling me batman-y names im gonna start calling you willis again. so what, you miss my company already? ;)' Jericho continued to roll his eyes good naturedly at Kyd's normal behavior, you'd think he'd be used to it by now. Jericho stopped and debating telling him for a moment, not really wanting to bother him despite him being up anyway.

'i keep having that nightmare again. think u could come over?' Jericho typed nervously, he really didn't have an option at this point. Kyd was his last option.

'id love to, hang tight babe' Kyd texted finally. Jericho let out a sigh of relief he hadn't realized he was holding. If Kyd couldn't help him get to sleep, nothing could. Kyd always had a way of calming him, making him feel secure and protected even when he was terrified of something.

Jericho put his phone down, waiting impatiently for the teleporter. It's funny, Kyd was a teleporter so you'd think he'd be pretty fast getting to places. But whether it was dates, his own team meetings, holidays, he was always at least a little late. Unless it directly involved Jericho. What the strange boy did with all that time he had no idea. He closed his eyes and tried to relieve the burning in them for a few minutes until he felt a cold touch on his face, moving his hair behind his ear before caressing his cheek in a loving way.

Jericho opened his eyes, blushing only slightly and gave a shy smile before mouthing 'Hi' at the tall boy. Kyd smiled warmly, continuing his loving touches to his secret boyfriend's face.

"So damn beautiful…" Kyd muttered mainly to himself before Jericho shyly blushed again and leaned into Kyd's touch. He wasn't exactly used to all the affection and kind words he constantly received from Kyd Wykkyd, dating a villain was forbidden even though it seemed like Kyd treated him better than his own heroic 'friends' did. Kyd always had something sweet or outrageously sincere to tell Jericho, Jericho used to go to sleep thinking about his terrible depression and self-hate problems. That almost never happened now that he'd met Kyd.

Jericho sat up on his knees quickly and gave Kyd a slow, sweet kiss. Jericho always hated how he could never really find the right ways to convey how much he loved and appreciated Kyd where Kyd was romantic at all the right times. The kiss, however, conveyed all that it needed to. Kyd tried his best not to lean into it to deepen the innocent contact as Jericho delicately placed his small hands on Kyd's face, barely touching the surface of his cheeks. Jericho pulled back and smiled lovingly, eyes lidded in an almost drunkenly in love way as he laid their foreheads together.

Jericho silently giggled cutely as he finally took in Kyd's appearance. Kyd always did drop everything for Jericho when he needed the other, but this was just a little silly. Because of Kyd's natural temperature being near freezing, he reveled in cold weather and most of the time slept in nothing but his boxers or sometimes actual pajama pants. Apparently he had forgotten to grab a shirt before teleporting into the room.

Kyd stood blushing now that he too realized his lack of clothing as Jericho drank it in. He stood in just his black boxer shorts with no shirt or pants on. While Kyd was very shy and at times hateful of his body, Jericho was very...appreciative, of it. Kyd thought he was too lanky, having what others often called a 'light pole' figure. Jericho on the other hand loved every inch of him, lanky or not.

Jericho giggled again when Kyd muttered a quick 'oh shush it' as he crawled into the bed next to Jericho. He layed on his side as Jericho turned on his to face him, leaning into Kyd's touch again as he dragged his thumb across Jericho's cheek. Everywhere he touched it felt like a thousand jittery shocks were going through him, his skin heating up red the more lovingly Kyd looked into Jericho's eyes.

Jericho finally ducked his head away from the touch and instead opted to snuggle into Kyd's bare chest, pressing their bodies close together. He nuzzled Kyd's chest when he felt Kyd rest his chin on Jericho's head and sigh into his hair, wrapping his arm around the other's almost feminine waist and holding it protectively. Jericho closed his eyes and breathed in the scent of roses and a newly made coffin. He sighed calmly as he found bliss in the feeling of Kyd's large body touching his skin almost everywhere.

Jericho for some reason was naturally always very warm, almost fever like. He never really knew why, but it was a nice relief to be able to touch Kyd really anywhere because of Kyd's natural freezing body temperature. Kyd constantly remarked on how touchy he always was, holding his hand every chance he got, hugging him, cuddling with him nearly every night. Kyd pretended to despise it like he did all human contact, but in truth he absolutely lived for it. Loved the feeling of someone touching him without violent means, needing him without secret incentive, loving him simply for being him.

"You're really cute when you're sleepy." Kyd said abruptly, playing with his messy blonde hair now. Jericho rolled his eyes and blushed slightly, Kyd was probably trying to start up a conversation so that Jericho would actually tell him about his nightmare.

'Just shush and go to sleep Kitty' Jericho signed with his eyes closed where Kyd could see. Kyd grumbled like a child and pouted into Jericho's hair as he muttered a small 'I'm not a kitty' to which Jericho giggled and snuggled into Kyd once more.

'Oh really? Well kitty's are the only animal I know of that purr when you pet them, or have you managed to finally get that under control? I wonder…' Jericho signed as he coyly looked up at Kyd who was now internally panicking.

"No! No no no no, Joseph Wilson don't you dare-!" Kyd said warningly, not wanting to back away from Jericho but also not wanting to prove him right. His panicking quickly melded into acceptance and pleasure as the smaller boy reached up and started petting behind his ears and the top of his head.

"No! No!...No..! Nn...mmmmmm" Kyd uttered, at first trying to back away and then finding that his hums of approval were turning into soft purring. He let out a small cat like smile as his ears downturned like a feline's and he held Jericho even closer, not wanting him to ever stop.

'My silly kitty…' Jericho whisper giggled as much as he could with his lack of voice and snuggled into the crook of Kyd's neck. The other boy was now laying on his back, with Jericho petting him softly and laying on top of his chest. Jericho giggled one more time before kissing Kyd's cheek softly and closing his eyes.

'Goodnight kitty…' Jericho signed sleepily as he closed his eyes, barely realizing he was mouthing something to the other in his near sleep state.

'I love you Elliot' he mouthed as a sigh of tiredness escaped him, finally falling into a much needed deep sleep. The blonde couldn't really tell at this point if he was dreaming it or not, but he smiled widely and felt a beautiful warmth spread all throughout his body when he heard it. Especially his chest area.

"I love you too, Joseph" Kyd said quietly as he laid a kiss the Jericho's head and fell asleep with him.


	7. Two of a Kind (Kyd Wykkyd's Father)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jinx knows Jericho and Crowe are the same person by the way, also Kirk Langstrom is from Justice League: Gods and Monsters. Go look him up, he pretty cool.

Crowe, now maskless, banged the back of his head on the dark purple headboard of a tidy bed in Jaya's room. Jinx, to him known as Jaya, had invited him over to get ready for some dumb party that the city council were having. Jinx was terrible at make-up and all around getting ready for things despite her love for it, and considering Crowe was that gay friend that pretty much everybody had she decided she needed his help. Jinx never knew why, but she just loved courtly parties and usually found her way in just because she wanted to.

Poor Joseph had been miserable since Kyd Wykkyd left to take care of some business over in Gotham. Something had come up and a close friend of his demanded they see each other immediately. Joey however was left behind in Jump since Kyd's friend was 'too unstable' and 'dangerous'. Joseph was still outraged at this notion, Elliot already knew full well who Joey's father and sister were so why was this any different?!

Joey continued glaring at the ceiling as he softly resumed banging his head on the wooden board above Jinx's bed. Jinx rolled her eyes as she watched him from the vanity she was attempting to do her make-up on. She finally got sick of seeing her friend so miserable and spoke up.

"I think someone is going through boyfriend withdrawal~!" She sang smugly as Crowe stiffened in an offended way before glaring at her and sneering with crossed arms.

"I am most definitely NOT going through boyfriend withdrawal. I'm fine! I am...perfectly happy without Elliot here! I certainly do not need HIM to be happy with my life!" Crowe said loudly, moreso convincing himself than Jinx as she hummed a skeptical 'mm-hm' in the mirror. Crowe finally looked into the vanity she was doing her make up in and rolled his eyes as he grabbed Jinx by the shoulder and dragged her to sit across from him on the dark purple bed.

Crowe abruptly snatched the eyeliner from Jinx and set to work trying to fix what she attempted. Jinx always thought it was hilarious that her male friend was better at doing make up than she was, but she certainly wasn't complaining when he was helping her get ready for a party. The two friends sat in a comfortable silence for a few moments, Jaya with her eyes closed and trying to conjure a way to make Joseph feel better with Joey simply content with the fact he was able to distract himself with make up. It seems all he could think about was Elliot, he wondered if maybe he was beginning to get a little too clingy…

"You know, he's only trying to protect you." Jinx stated with her eyes still closed as Joey fixed her eyeliner, rudely interrupting the silence. Joey clenched his fists around the eyeliner, pulling it away from Jinx's eyes and glaring at it.

"Jay, I'm sixteen. I can take care of myself! I'm the son of one of the most famed crime bosses and mercenaries in the world. Not to much my non-official adopted mother is legally insane. I've been in plenty of dangerous situations, yet he just leaves me here." Joey said frustratingly, he loved that boy more than anything in the world but he was such a pain sometimes!

Jinx opened her eyes and looked at her friend deeply, debating whether to tell him something or not. She finally sucked in a breath, no point in hiding anything from him. Jinx smiled as she decided to go ahead and tell him.

"Joey, don't feel hurt by this but...Elliot told me why he was really leaving for Gotham...Joey, El has lost everything and everyone he's ever loved, and it's his own fault. He doesn't want to lose you, in his words you're the best thing that's ever happened to him. To be honest...I'm pretty sure if you two were ever to break up or one of you went missing...Elliot wouldn't bounce back, ever. Joey, remember how Elliot told you his parents were killed at his hand? Well...maybe not both of them. Elliot didn't exactly stay to check and...this man called a few days back from Gotham saying he was Elliot's father. He said he wanted to get in touch sooner but when the accident happened he was...altered. Look, you going with El would be unbelievably dangerous. Elliot can handle a lot more than you think, but if this guy hurt you because Elliot brought you...I don't know if there would be an Elliot anymore." Jinx said somberly. Jinx and Kyd Wykkyd were like brother and sister, and Jinx probably knew more about Kyd than Kyd did.

Joey let this sink in for a moment, and finally decided Jinx was right. If he just showed up, there was no telling what would happen. Not to mention that Joey doesn't really give his boyfriend the credit he deserves. Elliot is half-demon...Joey smiled at Jinx and nodded his head in thanks, at least now he knew why Elliot really left.

Joey finished up with Jaya's make up and they both finally finished getting dressed amongst their friendly joking and laughter. Jinx, now Jaya Salem, wore a sleeveless black dress that had a black belt and a slanted striped purple and black skirt protruding from it. Her hair was brushed down and her cosmetics done, hopefully no one would recognize her. Joey was still in his Crowe outfit, refusing to go to some stupid party where he'd probably be ditched by Jinx and wander around aimlessly without a friend to mingle with.

Jaya was just about to finish her speech about why he should go, when a familiar face walked through the door of Jinx's room.

"Ellie!" Joey exclaimed as he jumped up from his place on the bed and wrapped his arms around Kyd's neck. Kyd smiled and quickly returned the embrace, not even slightly surprised as Joey kissed his cheek. Kyd pulled away guiltily before ripping off his mask and wringing it in his hands nervously, gaze cast to his feet.

"Listen, Joey...I...I know you really wanted to come with me and all-" Elliot said sadly but was abruptly cut off by Joey's finger being pressed to his lips in a 'shut up already' motion. Joey chuckled at Elliot's confused face before giving him an answer finally.

"It's alright...I...I understand. Trust me, if Slade just randomly showed up at my doorstep I wouldn't exactly yell 'hey, guess what? You're catholic raised son has a boyfriend now!' at him either." Joey explained with a small smile. Kyd grinned appreciatively before hugging Joey's small frame and picking him up a little. Joey shoved him away slightly with a smiling face, both of them still ignoring Jinx's fake puking sounds in the background.

"Come on, we still have a party to go to don't we?" Joey said mainly to Jinx who squealed happily.

Little did the three teens know, there was a red eyed, pale, fanged watcher with his eyes on them from a distance away from Jinx's window. Kirk Langstrom smiled proudly at his son and his three friends before chuckling at how quickly Elliot's demeanor changed when he was around that blonde boy.

"'I'm not gay he says, I don't have a boyfriend he says.' Kirk muttered amusedly. He figured his son was simply nervous about telling him about his boyfriend like any normal person would be. Kirk was fine with Elliot being gay, he accepted it completely. He could tell almost as soon as he laid eyes on Elliot, now the spitting image of his mother. He wouldn't bring it up again, Elliot would tell his father when he was ready. Kirk chuckled one more time at the now laughing boy before finally teleporting away, into the night.


	8. Flower Crowns

Elliot laid face down on the ground in Jump City park. Why did he agree to let his boyfriend pick this date? Ah, right. Puppy dog eyes.

Elliot had his head laid in Jericho's lap while Jericho was petting him and slowly weaving flowers into his thick ebony hair. It actually felt really nice to relax for once. Jericho giggled softly at the tired expression on Elliot's features before moving Elliot's bangs away from his face.

Jericho lazily reached over and plucked yet another pink flower from the grass around them to weave into the other colorful ones places into Elliot's hair as Elliot slowly opened his eyes a crack and smiled up at his favorite little dandelion. "What are you listening to?" Elliot asked softly before Joseph places one of his earbuds into Elliot's pointed ears. Elliot closed his eyes and simply let himself be consumed by feeling. He listened distantly as Porter Robinson and Madeon played Shelter into his head while Joey continued softly petting his hair. Everything in the world for once felt perfect, why couldn't this feeling last forever?

A small ladybug landed softly on Elliot's nose, to which he pawed at his nose like a feline as he heard his small boyfriend giggle. Elliot finally sat up quickly and wrapped his arms around Joseph, setting the small boy to sit in his lap as Elliot nuzzled his cheek sweetly. Joey sighed and blushed faintly before twirling a curl of Elliot's dark hair in his hand distractedly, now laying his head on Elliot's much broader chest.

"What'd I ever do to earn you?" Elliot said sweetly as Joey felt his heart swell and buried his face deeper in Elliot's chest in response. Joseph reached behind him to hold up a braided flower crown he had made whilst petting Elliot. He reached upwards and placed the decorative array of pinks, whites, and purples on Elliot's head as Elliot rolled his eyes good naturedly. Joseph placed a quick kiss the the side of Elliot's forehead before laying his head back down on Elliot's chest and calmly tracing invisible designs over his black T-Shirt.

"Oh no, not a hippie in the slightest." Elliot chuckled and recalled their earlier conversation where Joseph was completely convinced he was the furthest possible thing from a hippie. Joey pouted before pinching Elliot's sides in revenge and bopping his nose, making a face at him. Elliot smiled and leaned down to lie on his back, dragging Joey with him. Joey calmly laid snug in Elliot's side, their legs tangled together as Elliot stared up at the sky before Joseph poked his cheek softly to get his attention.

'I love you' he mouthed happily to his boyfriend to which Elliot responded with an 'I love you more'. Okay, maybe Elliot really should start letting Joey pick their dates more. This was much more enjoyable than what he had planned. Though he could have gone without Joey making him walk home with the flower crown still in place.


	9. Robin vs Crowe

Crowe stood face to face with the most revered teenage heroes in their time. The Teen Titans. Of course, he just had to trip the security beams didn't he? Jericho had been getting tired of all the Titan rules Robin had been going over with them, and he needed a break from rules. Or as his partner in crime had said, 'rulebreaker'. Crowe noted to himself how it took true, unrelenting love to look over his boyfriends cringey puns.

The point being, Jericho came to Elliot asking for a favor. Just one night on the town. Used to be, Crowe refused to work with anyone by his side. Now? Well, it seemed Crowe and Kyd Wykkyd were the destined battle partners. They perfectly covered each other's weakness without even realizing and played on each others strengths at just the right time. Now Crowe couldn't stand going on a heist or vandalizing anything without knowing Kyd Wykkyd was somewhere nearby. They were practically inseparable. Amusingly, it seemed where the villains used to proclaim Robin and Starfire as the ultimate power couple, Crowe and Kyd Wykkyd were now in their place.

Crowe and Kyd Wykkyd were only planning on busting into the Jump City mall for the fun of it, who knows maybe something might've caught their eye and they would take it. Crowe had even neglected to assemble his makeshift team to come with him. It comprised of himself, Blackfire, Johnny Rancid, Angel, Punk Rocket, and of course his Kyd Wykkyd.

But unfortunately, it seemed Crowe had underestimated the public area's security and tripped the security beams accidentally. Soon enough, the five super-powered teen Titans came hurtling through the doors ready to bust some actually bad evil doer. Most of the Titans rarely took Crowe or Kyd Wykkyd seriously at all. While they weren't the Doctor Light status of incapable, they also weren't planning on massacring the face of the Earth. Robin on the other hand was another story.

Robin obsessed over catching Crowe to the point where Crowe was almost as high up as Slade on his list. Mainly it was because Crowe was the only person besides Jericho to ever beat him in a one-on-one fight. Robin hated losing, especially to some sentient chess piece whose gender you could barely tell. What infuriated Robin further was that while they were fighting Robin had to keep utmost concentration to make sure to at least block all of Crowe's attacks, whereas Crowe could distract himself easily with dirty insults thrown at the boy wonder and still win without breaking a sweat.

The minute Crowe and Robin spotted each other, both Crowe's partner and Robin's Teen Titans all sighed in exasperation of what was to come. Crowe and Robin paid no mind to this however, focusing only on beating the other to a pulp.

Crowe sneered at the other, completely aware of his soon to be victory as Robin glowered at the slightly shorter girlish boy. Hilariously, Robin and most of the Titans also didn't know Crowe's gender. While Kyd Wykkyd took offense to their rude ignorance concerning his boyfriend, Crowe simply found it hilarious that half of the time they were 'fighting' the Titans were actually just conversing with each other on whether to say 'bad-guy' or 'villainess'.

Crowe quickly unhooked his bo-staff from his belt as Robin grabbed his, both shifting into their fighting stances like some quickdraw scene.

"Come back for more already Robin? Are you sure your bruises have healed up yet?" Crowe asked in a mock-concerning tone as he reveled in Robin's further scowling. This didn't last long however, as his scowl melded into a smirk.

"At least my bruises are on my limbs, not on my neck. Been having some fun with Wykkyd have we?" Robin asked as he noticed the hickeys now visible due to Crowe's attire. Crowe blushed angrily and gritted his teeth, making sure to break Robin's in a moment. He also made a mental note to kill Kyd for making the hickies so visible.

Just as Crowe was starting to advance towards Robin, Kyd caught him by the skirt of his tunic like dress and glanced towards a conspicuous hole in the roof. 'Stand down...please. We can escape easily, just calm down and don't let him get to you.' Those eyes told him warningly. Crowe softly and grudgingly nodded, still seething from Robin's comments. Crowe and Kyd slowly started backing up, the Titans all silently deciding it was better for the duo to get away than to waste all their energy fighting them to lose and have them get away anyway like they always did.

Crowe slowly turned around and walked with his arms crossed angrily just in time to hear another one of Robin's comments trying to draw him back to a fight.

"What? Gotta have freaky-deaky over here save you butt already? It's not like you could escape or really do anything without him anyway!" Robin said confidently, he'd surprisingly learned from Crowe. Not just new fighting technique, but that insults are one of the most efficient ways to draw an enemy back. Strangely, their hatred for each other had actually heightened both of their skills tremendously. Not that either would ever admit that, especially to each other.

Crowe stopped momentarily and bit down on his black-stained lip hard, struggling against the urge to turn around and murder the idiot. Kyd put an arm around Crowe's waist, not so much holding him as pushing him forwards and away from Robin. In actuality, Kyd was doing this moreso for Robin and the Titan's safety than Crowe's, he'd witnessed an angry Crowe before and he would not enjoy that experience a second time. Kyd mouthed the words 'breathe' at the small boy before they started walking again.

Crowe slowly started moving again, his legs feeling like lead weights pulling him back towards where Robin stood with his nasty smirk. Finally, on the last comment Robin made, Crowe snapped.

"I guess it's not really your fault, you're probably both bastard children of some more important evil doer. So sad even after all this you still can't earn daddy's love." Robin yelled.

For everyone, time seemed to slow down. Crowe's eyes snapped open in the angriest way Kyd had ever seen as Crowe's posture stiffened. Kyd slowly backed away from his boyfriend, there was really no stopping him now. Crowe turned around slowly, in an almost eerie way and smiled creepily at Robin. In a flash Crowe was only inches from Robin's face, smiling sweetly yet in an impending way.

"Care to repeat that, Sidekick?" Crowe whispered sharply as his eyes narrowed dangerously. Of course, Robin being Robin he never knew when the time to stop was. He also felt he had to say something back to the large stinging ache that came with 'sidekick'.

"I'd rather be a sidekick than the bastard offspring of a father or mother who was never there, or possibly even both." Robin said confidently, completely unaware of what he just set in motion.

Crowe tilted his head to the side in mock curiosity, still smiling creepily. His hands were clasped tightly onto his staff behind his back.

"...that...so?" Crowe said, smiling so hard it hurt his cheeks. Robin had about a split second to look confused and a bit worried when Crowe kicked his feet out from under him and pinned him down with his staff. Robin laid on his back dazed with Crowe's staff held across his neck, never being this scared of what his friends saw as 'harmless'.

"At least this bastard son of an international criminal mastermind...still has a biological father, Grayson." Crowe spat at him before pulling away his bo staff to punch him as hard as he possibly could across the face, making sure it left a hefty bruise. This was all blocked out by Robin's working mind however, how did Crowe know him? Know his parents? The pure fact he had brought it up meant Robin had obviously crossed a very deep line.

Robin quickly turned them over to where Crowe was pinned down, but was surprised to find Crowe's smiling face before Crowe launched Robin off of himself by kicking him as hard as possible with both feet straight in his stomach. Once the two were on their feet again, it was a flashed blur of staff hitting staff and bruises that were soon to form. They both fought harder than ever, Crowe easily beating Robin to the ground almost. Time seemed to slow down again as the crowd of teens in the room heard a feral, desperate scream of 'I'll kill you, you sick little child! I swear I'll kill you!'. While Kyd was having the time of his life watching Robin get beaten into the ground, this was where he had to step in.

Crowe held his staff above Robin's chest with a dangerous gleam in his eyes. Kyd quickly wrapped his arms around Crowe, trapping his arms as he screamed at Kyd to let him go. Kyd picked him above the ground so that all he could really do was screech and kick his feet uselessly before mouthing the word 'run' quickly at Robin. Robin had never run from a fight before, but it was far better to live to fight another day.

Kyd was left with Crowe's guttural screeching melding into heart wrenching cries of sadness. He sobbed loudly until Kyd finally put him down, sure he wasn't going to hurt anyone. Crowe's stiffened angry muscles soon went limp against his body. Crowe turned around and sobbed harshly into Kyd's chest, who stroked his hair soothingly until his loud sobs turned into low hiccups.

"I hate him. I hate him...so much. He...He made me...I...I-I almost…", Crowe sobbed into Kyd's chest. Kyd continued stroking his hair soothingly, he hated seeing Joseph even slightly upset. Seeing him cry like this made Kyd want to kill Robin himself.

"...i'm...like him...S...S-Slade." Crowe hoarsely whispered to where only Kyd could hear. Kyd quickly pulled him away before leaning down to Crowe's height.

"No. You are nothing like him. You never will be. Trust me, if Robin dared mention something like that to me I would kill him too." Kyd said before twirling some of Crowe's hair in his hands and stroking his thumb across his boyfriend's cheek.

"I promise that I will always protect you, even if it's from yourself." Kyd said in the most serious tone Crowe had ever heard. Crowe eventually smiled through his tear stained face and chuckled as he hugged Kyd by the neck again.

"Thank you." Was all he could really manage at the moment. Soon he opened his eyes to find Kyd had teleported them back into his room where they were previously. Kyd kissed his forehead as Crowe giggled at the action before resting their foreheads together.

"I love you, don't ever forget that." Kyd said finally, smiling. Crowe took off his mask slowly before hugging him one last time before he headed home.

Funny, as the bastard son of a villain, Joseph had more friends and felt more love than he had in years. Meanwhile as Jericho, he felt only neglect and sorrow. Maybe...just maybe being the bastard son of Slade wasn't so bad after all.


	10. Big Brother Herald

Joseph Wilson looked out into the night sky one last time at eleven at night, debating on how to spend the rest of his night. He'd gotten into a fight with his best friend the Herald, and he couldn't take this pressure anymore. He needed an escape, even if temporary. He'd heard a reliable tip on where Slade Wilson's latest hideout was, that would surely prove pretty fun to vandalize. You'd think after Crowe vandalizing eighteen previous hideouts of his he'd learn to lock the place up more, but no. Joseph finally made his decision.

Joseph walked over to his dresser before pulling open a drawer and detaching the bottom, revealing a set of three different masks. Two were white domino masks, one his crow-ish plague doctor one. He quickly picked up the crow mask. He decided that while Slade seemed to almost never catch him in the act of spray painting his base's walls with insulting names, if he ever did Joseph needed to make sure he looked nothing like Joseph. Showing his face, even behind a domino mask, would be a dead giveaway.

Vandalizing Wilson property seemed to be his favorite pass time as of late, it was pretty hilarious to see Slade's face when he walked into his evil lair to find 'guess who old man' and 'white hair really isn't your colour' written in spray paint all over the walls. It always seemed to cheer Joey up, no matter what terrible mood he was in.

Joey set the eerie looking mask down on his vanity drawer before rifling through his drawers again and finally coming out with his normal diamond-white outfit. He quickly changed before sitting down in front of his vanity and applying his normal white paler and black lipstick. Joseph quickly slipped on the white gloves before cracking his knuckles confidently and finally slipping on the crow mask. He stood up and smiled to himself as he looked in the mirror, though it was invisible due to the mask's blocking of his face. Confidently he strided over to his bed where he finally pulled out his normal utility belt and bo-staff before opening his window and standing on the sill.

He smirked excitedly as he looked out onto the lights of the unsuspecting city of Star, tonight was going to be fun.

That is, until he heard the enraged yelling he was oh so familiar with.

"You!" Yelled the Herald angrily. Crowe quickly crouched down, getting ready to jump and hopefully land somewhere safe. He'd learned a long time ago that an angry Herald was much worse than a few injuries.

"Not on my watch!" The older boy yelled as Crowe jumped. Herald blew from his trumpet loudly, causing a portal to sprout right in front of Crowe before he landed on the ground. Crowe was dropped back into the room by another portal, landing with a more than offended 'oomph!'.

Herald quickly pinned him down by his shoulders, barking out demands almost as obnoxiously as Robin.

"What were you doing here? And where's Jericho? Tell me or I swear I'll-" Came the trumpeter with his horn raised threateningly. That's right, he had put on the crow mask which meant Mal didn't know it was Joey yet. Joey looked into the eyes of his terrified friend who was putting on a mask of his own, a mask of intimidation to hide his horrifying worry for Jericho.

Crowe sighed finally and decided if anyone deserved to know, it was him. Crowe slowly reached up and grabbed his mask, pulling it off nervously. Watching his friend's facial expression's carefully, not wanting him to jump to conclusions just yet.

"I...I am Jericho." He said quietly, bracing for the impact of the Herald's yelling. Just as quick as Malcolm's eyes widened in surprise, they narrowed into challenging slits.

"Prove it. Tell me something only Joe would know." Herald said, still roughly pinning Joey down. Joseph simply raised his eyebrows in mock surprise.

"Your name is Malcolm Duncan, you have the ugliest cornrows I've ever seen in my life, you have terrible music taste, I mean really Bob Marley? You could at least listen to Caravan Palace, they're jazzy. You're convinced that blueberries are poisonous to you, you have an obnoxious crush on Raven that you seriously need to get over, oh and you still sleep with the teddy bear you had when you were six, Mr. Bubbles." Joseph listed off with a smirk as Mal's eyes slowly got wider and wider before they glared at him again.

"You leave Mr. Bubbles out of this. And keep your sacrilege away from Bob Marley." the Herald said, finally letting Joey up.

"Alrighty then," Herald said once Joey was on his two feet. "I believe you have some explaining to do, Crowe."

"Okay, okay. I've been caught I get the idea." Joey said, rolling his eyes and crossing his arms like a pouty child. Joey grabbed Mal by the shoulders before sitting them both down on his bed, cross legged and facing each other like they normally did when serious matters were being discussed. Crowe sighed sadly as he looked down at his bedding, Mal might never speak to him again after this but he had to tell someone. The secret was killing him.

"Listen, I know you and the Titans all think I'm some cute little bunny from the hills of Tibet, but that's just not me. I play the hero, I do what I'm told. Just let me have this, please. This is how I let out how I really feel without going off on Robin. I'm not doing anything really illegal, I always return what I steal! Well I mean except for that all-seeing-eye thing but that's irrelevant. My point is, if you really are my friend Mal, you won't tell Robin. Please. I understand if you hate me just..." Joey said somberly, pleading with his friend for his secrecy.

Mal's angry face soon softened into one of understanding. He kind of understood what Joey was doing with all of this. It's the same reason Mal spent hours blowing his trumpet or that Argent woke up at ungodly hours of the day to play on her piano.

"I don't hate you Joe, I don't think I ever could." Mal said, placing a hand on Joey's shoulder to get his attention.

"You're my best friend, and best friend's look out for each other. I'll let this whole 'Crowe' situation slide, on one condition. You don't have to tell the world, but at least tell your friends about this. A lot of them are out to get you, y'know? How would you feel if Red Star or Argent stuffed you in a jail cell and you couldn't do anything about it because you never told them?" Mal explained to Joey softly. Joseph was like a little brother to Mal, and he only wanted what was best for him. Mainly his safety.

Joseph nodded, and that was the night that Argent, Red Star, and Kid Flash all also found out about the true origins of Crowe. Everyone accepted him, though some were grudging to. Argent was shocked but also ecstatic, and without missing a beat immediately asked him about helping her with her own wardrobe. Red Star didn't completely understand why Jericho felt the need to become Crowe, and was extremely cautious about the whole matter. In the end, Red Star did accept him as well. Kid Flash's reaction was by far the most amusing. He immediately starting chanting shouts like 'I knew it' and 'in your face inner conscious!'.

After the whole fiasco was over, Joseph didn't really feel the need to go vandalize anything tonight. No doubt he would tomorrow, he felt content to simply spend the night conversing with his friends. That is, until the Herald found out about the 'relationship with Kyd Wykkyd' situation.

But that's another story.


	11. The Misfits

The misfits all lazed around on an abandoned rooftop in Star City. The misfits, as they called themselves, were an organized criminal group more or less led by Crowe. Johnny was completely convinced he was the real leader, but the minute Crowe stepped into a room all attention was on whatever he was about to say. They never committed any real crime to be honest, most of it was just them hanging around as friends and vandalizing (mainly Slade's) things. Really they were just a bunch of hooligan teenagers looking for entertainment.

Then there were the few times they actually did have a run-in with the Titans. If they would listen to each other and fight correctly, they would definitely be able to pretty much run whatever town they came across. But it seems Crowe had rubbed off on them just a little. They fought the Titans sometimes, for pure fun and most of the time they lost. It wasn't so much gloom and doom, steal to survive, or cause chaos anymore, now it was just having fun and hanging out with friends. They'd never admit it of course.

The Misfits consisted of six members. Crowe - the leader of the group. He was the one who always took on Robin whenever they came across the Titans, he was also the one who showed them that being a villain didn't have to be so dark and evil. It could also be for pure fun. Crowe was kind, compassionate, caring, and the only person anyone had ever met that would take them in and help them without a second thought. Crowe, while naive and a bit ditzy, was everyone's best friend and big brother despite his younger age.

Then there was Blackfire - the registered Starfire of the team. While Koma Anders made a big show of outsmarting her sister when met with her, they were more alike than either would ever know. Blackfire knew plenty more about Earth than Starfire did, but the Tamaranean girl still required assistance at times. She only knew the basics of electronics and her cooking was equal to her sister's, she also still couldn't grasp the idea of what 'anime' was, though she was thoroughly intrigued. Unlike her sister however, Blackfire was less in the sense 'innocent curiosity' and more 'violently cautious'. She tended to want to blow up anything that was alien to her, though she was much less likely to do so when Crowe was near.

Johnny Rancid was also involved in the team - the technician and muscle more or less. He was the one that usually went against Cyborg. Jonathan Gurge was always fiddling with some new contraption or messing with his precious motorcycle. Though he was pretty rough on the outside, once you got to know him he was a pretty cool guy to hang around. Johnny was the first guy to ever outwardly flirt with Jericho when he came down from his mountain. Granted, he was convinced Jericho was a girl. Amusingly, Johnny only hit on Jericho, not Crowe. Crowe couldn't really tell if he knew they were the same person or not, but he'd figure it out eventually. He hoped.

Cheshire was more or less the Raven of their team. She was cynical, sarcastic, and often hit Punk Rocket upside his head to prove her point. While she remained deadly silent during her heists, Jade Nguyen had plenty to say if you were able to befriend her. She often was paired with Raven during battles. Cheshire was often distant, but there were those handful of people she kept close. Crowe being the main one, he was the only person that knew her alias or her origin. While Blackfire was pretty bad at cooking, it was nothing compared to poor Jade. She often forced the rest of the team to try her latest concoctions, which were more than likely to make you sick.

Punk Rocket was unfortunately the Beast-Boy of the team. He was loud, obnoxious, annoying, but most of all, lovable. When he saw one of his friends was feeling down, instead of playing some loud rock song like normal he would always talk to them or joke around to cheer them up. He too was still a bit sour from Kyd Wykkyd winning over Crowe. Unlike Johnny, Thomas Leonard had flirted with Crowe and had no interest in Jericho. Johnny Rancid and Punk Rocket were also long time partners, and often were questioned as to why they weren't a couple. Johnny usually just rolled his eyes while Punk laughed it off, but there was an obvious connection. Johnny was really the only person to love Punk for what he was, despite his overwhelming schizophrenia. While the whole team simply accepted it, Johnny loved even that part of him.

Finally, there was XL Terrestrial. Nobody really knew where he belonged, or where he came from. He just showed up one day with Crowe who demanded they all be nice to him. Soon though, Xilo Trahk found a home with the Misfits who all treated him like family. He was worse than even Starfire and Blackfire when it came to new things. Apparently he had come from a planet names 'Horak' and while his people had advanced knowledge in technology, culture, and other planets, they knew nothing about Earth. Xilo was always learning, always curious about everything. He was really the team's child. He had this childlike innocence in everything he did, and he was constantly confused about everything. It didn't really help that Punk and Johnny were always confusing him purpose. XL did however grasp the idea of human love, which was known as 'Iynta' on his planet. It had hit him as soon as he spotted the Herald, whom Xilo was infatuated with. Crowe found the whole situation hilarious.

Kyd Wykkyd was really just there. He went wherever Crowe went and never left his side. He did everything Crowe asked without hesitation or question and was just happy to be there. Though Kyd was extremely possessive over Crowe and often glared menacingly everytime Punk Rocket or Johnny Rancid walked into the room, he got along semi well with the Misfits. Kyd was the person everyone went to when they needed less optimistic hope from Crowe, and more realistic reason from someone more grounded. Really the two were like Yin and Yang, Crowe wouldn't be able to really be confident in anything without Kyd, and Kyd flat out couldn't function if he didn't know where Crowe was. The team altogether were one strange, taboo family of misfits.

It was all that XL Terrestrial had ever known outside of the academy and his planet, the only people on the planet Punk Rocket had ever met to show him compassion and help with his mental condition, it was the only family Cheshire had ever known and loved, the only team that would find some likable trait about Johnny, and the Misfits were Blackfire's only friends on Earth or any other planet.

Yes, they were a bit strange, but that's what makes a misfit so capable.


	12. Investigation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This came out a lot more mysterious than originally planned, Crowe seems menacing in this, oops.

Crowe sat in the oh-so-familiar dim light of Robin's makeshift investigation room. Crowe was proving a point to Kyd Wykkyd, that he was in fact not reckless and the most responsible person he knew. This plan backfired however, when Robin finally managed to capture the ever elusive Crowe. Robin had used knockout gas on him, which Crowe saw as cheating. Crowe faintly heard Robin's bickering with the rest of the main Titans from the other side of the glass door. They were probably debating what to do with him, or whether or not to reveal his identity.

Crowe sighed boredly, clinking the cuffs lining his wrists together nonchalantly. Crowe chose not to acknowledge the fact that due to his dainty wrists, he could easily slip his hands out with no problem. It didn't matter either way, one wrong move and the Titans outside would beat him to a chalky white pulp. Crowe was sick of this whole ordeal, he had been offended by his own boyfriend who told him he was 'irresponsible' because he kept getting so close to being caught, he was knocked out by gas which gifted him with a pounding headache, he was stuffed into a cramped police car where a cop had the nerve to flirt with him - that useless faceache, he was then shoved roughly into an investigation room and was taunted and mocked the whole way there by a gloating Robin.

Robin himself finally creaked open the dark room's door before walking condescendingly to the seat across from Crowe and laying out a thin stack of paperwork before him. Robin leaned on his elbows before resting his head on them, covering his scowling mouth. Crowe simply rolled his eyes at Robin's behavior, though he resisted the urge to spat something sarcastic at him due to his situation.

"Crowe." Robin said sternly as he moved one of his hands to gesture at the bland paperwork in front of them.

"This is your paperwork. This stack knows all - aliases, powers, origins, status, loved ones, accomplices...But not yours. You have the emptiest paperwork I've ever seen in my entire career of dealing with villains like you. Care to tell me why that is? Why it seems you disappear from the map as soon as you're out of sight? Why you seem to be the only being I've met who could dare I say outsmart and outmatch even the riddler?" Robin said, his eyes narrowing in frustration at Crowe's records. Crowe raised an eyebrow before smiling sweetly.

"Maybe...you've just finally found someone you and your little toys are just no match for." the white clad boy said softly. Robin angrily banged his fist on the table separating them, momentarily startling the small boy across from him. He didn't get it, what did this no powered little wimp have to hide so badly? Robin had come across leads, but they were all much too bizarre to follow up on. Deathstroke, Harley Quinn, Deadpool, Killer Frost - all had deep undeniable connections to Crowe but were far too insane or dangerous to really by liable. As much as Robin hated admitting it, Crowe and he were the same. Their fighting styles were similar, they had matching tactics, equal IQ and way of thinking. Maybe that was why he was so determined to bring Crowe down. Robin would never be able to catch Crowe, because they were so similar it hurt.

"Alrighty Crowe, you have two options." Robin said as Crowe rolled his eyes boredly.

"One: you can answer my questions calmly and truthfully, or two: you can sit here and rot on your own while I go use your fingerprints and informations to figure out your real identity. I was going to do so before I came in but...figuring out the mystery on your own is much more fun, right?" Robin said sternly and confidently as Crowe glowered dangerously at him. If there was one thing Crowe hated, it was being backed into a corner.

"Okay, Harley Quinn. What do you know about her?" Robin said sneering.

"Clown. Lunatic. Uses the word 'pudding' way too much." Crowe said in a monotone voice, determined on being a smart alec. Really, he was already pretty sure his death would be cause by being smart or sarcastic at the wrong time.

Robin's eyes glared at him softly, letting him slide the first time. Maybe there really was no connection, that was what he told himself as he looked back down at Crowe's empty files again.

"Fine. Killer Frost. Whereabouts, allys, weaknesses, anything?" Robin said slightly more exasperated than before. Crowe hummed in mock thought as he finally answered.

"Terrible fashion sense. Her hair is attractive at least." Crowe said in a distant manner as Robin's eyebrows twitched angrily. Now he just knew the other boy was playing him.

"Deadpool! I know there is a connection between you and Deadpool, there've been sightings of you two!" Robin yelled beyond frustrated. Robin snapped when Crowe seemed to only just now pay attention to him, finding the grain of the ceiling much more interesting.

"Deathstroke." Robin demanded angrily. Robin had had enough of this snarky little poser when Crowe looked up in thought before shrugging his shoulder innocently.

"You tell me what you know now you little-!" Robin shouted enraged as he lunged forward at Crowe. Crowe stood up quickly, having already unclasped his cuffs out of boredom and in the heat of the moment managed to latch them onto Robin who was now cuffed to the table. Robin yelled angrily as he jangled the cuffs up and down across the table, desperate to break Crowe's teeth from his sneer.

Crowe smirked and stood up, backing towards a window. He sneered victoriously as he held his arms up in a 'come and get me' gesture.

"What did I tell you birdie? You are just no match for me. I'll always be one step ahead, no matter what you do. You're nothing compared to me, and you have no power to apprehend me or stop my doings. Just give it up already Robin." Crowe said sternly, glaring at his nearly sworn enemy. He was slowly beginning to understand his father's hatred for the little imp as much as he despised it.

"Hurry up Robin, if you don't catch up to me soon you'll be left behind. I'll tell you one thing - keep an eye out. It's always the quiet ones, isn't it?" Crowe chuckled darkly before he leapt from the ledge of the window, seeming to vanish into thin air. That wasn't what scared Robin the most though, not the vanishing, not the cuffing him so quickly, not even the one step ahead deal.

That line. That last line. He knew it. He knew who it came from and it made his heart stop at just the thought. His mind fled back to the whole Trigon incident.

Slade. He had said that exact line, even the ominous chuckle at the end. Their laughs sounded exactly the same and it was terrifying.

"Slade." Robin said ominously, mainly to himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please read and review!


	13. Singing

Kyd Wykkyd now out of costume sat on his bed, boredly and angrily picking at the coarse strings of his intimidating looking bass guitar. What you'd normally call a 'bad day' is it raining without your umbrella, receiving a pop quiz without your being prepared, perhaps just being confronted with something unexpected. What Elliot called a 'bad day' is being chased through the freezing rain across countless rooftops for several hours because a certain birdie just didn't know when to give up. Robin had attached a device to his cape already, so wherever Kyd Wykkyd teleported Robin was there and ready.

His back hurt, his very bones felt like ice, and he was ready to explode on something or someone.

Crowe had simply popped over to the HIVE to check on Kyd, maybe hang out for a bit until Robin settled down from his 'I hate Kyd Wykkyd he is a jerkface it's his fault I have a cold now' rant.

Crowe opened the door to his boyfriend's room smiling, but instead of being greeting with a kind kiss like he normally was he came face to face with an obviously seething Elliot. Crowe had a feeling from his still drenched hair and shivering body that he knew why Elliot was so angry. The blonde walked over and sat next to Elliot on the still messy dark bed before laying his head on Elliot's shoulder and soothingly running his hand up and down Elliot's upper arm.

"Wanna talk?" Crowe said just above a whisper, as softly as possible. Crowe knew fully well what Elliot was capable of when he was angry, he'd seen him decemate and flatten entire acres of land before.

Crowe took note of the frustrated silence he received in return and took that as a 'no'. Crowe closed his eyes and listened to the deep bass playing a somewhat familiar melody. Crowe opened his eyes to look up at Elliot, noticing how the dark bass's noises were slowly calming him down. His posture was still hunched over the guitar and his face was still scrunched in frustration, but it was slowly working.

Crowe reached up and moved some of Elliot's ebony hair away from his face softly, moving it behind his ear. He softly starting singing the melody Elliot was playing, barely loud enough for Elliot to hear but just enough to calm him to the point of relaxing.

"My youth, my youth is yours, tripping on skies sipping waterfalls, my youth, my youth is yours, runaway now and forevermore, my youth, my youth is yours, a truth so loud you can't ignore, my youth, my youth, my youth...my youth is yours~." Crowe sang subtly as he watched Elliot visibly uncurl and relax from the day's stress. Joey's voice always seemed to calm him, no matter how angry he was or what chaos was consuming him. His life could spiral into some whirlwind twister and nothing around him could dare to make any sense, yet Joey's voice whether he was singing or just speaking to him always rang out above all the noise and hurtful things he told himself.

Joey took off his mask and quickly wiped what make up he could off his face, there was no need for masks or disguises with Elliot. He was the one person Joey could trust his entire life with.

Joey finally got Elliot to let go of the beloved bass, still singing as he set the instrument down on the floor beside the bed. Eventually the couple got into the position where they were both laying down on the bed, Elliot holding him by the waist and laying his head on his much smaller boyfriend's chest. Joey ran his slim fingers through Elliot's ebony hair in a soothing way, still softly singing to him as Elliot sighed in relief from all the tension of today.

"When the lights are flashing like a photobooth and the stars exploding, we'll be fireproof~..." Joey sang softly as he felt Elliot pull him even closer, giggling at his usually nonchalant and emotionless boyfriend's behavior. Elliot leaned up and starting covering Joey's exposed neck in what felt like hundreds of loving kisses, smiling happily. Never in a hundred years would he have expected or thought to be in such a situation before he met Joey. Never once did he dare to dream that one day he'd ever be capable of someone loving him, taking care of him.

Elliot pulled away finally, smiling lovingly as he ran a hand down Joey's face softly. Joey leaned into the hand, melting against the feeling of Elliot's skin against his. Elliot smiled one last time before finally silencing his still singing boyfriend with a slow kiss to Joey's softer lips.

"I love you…" Elliot mused quietly as Joey buried his face in Elliot's chest this time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Read and review please!


	14. Repo! The Genetic Opera AU

Joseph walked slowly and cautiously down the alleyway, subconsciously holding his breath to escape the vile stench that was a mix of a dead rat's musk and one thousand drug addicts' breath. He tried not to look anywhere but in front of him, god knows that if anyone recognized him he'd be jumped. He clenched his fingers around his beaten down satchel one last time before subtly continuing his march down the alleyway of 'Zydrate Addict Support Meetings'.

It was always freezing to come down this alleyway, even though it should've been protected from the outside weather up top. Maybe it wasn't even the weather doing this to him, maybe it was just that sinking feeling of 'I shouldn't be here, I don't belong here, I need to run away' that always came with visiting his oh-so-busy friend.

For once maybe Joseph should've listened to his father, he was freezing with his bare shoulders against the ghostly hand of the cold. Joseph's messy blonde hair was lined with dying streaks of faded purple and pastel green, too in a hurry to sneak out to really grab a brush. His velvety black choker provided no escape from the chill, the silver cross hanging from it seeming to mock him by absorbing the cold and relaying it back onto the skin of his collarbone. Joseph wore a tight fitting black sleeveless shirt with a ruffled white sleeveless undershirt beneath, his tight black skinny jeans and tall combat boots also making the weather feel worse. His wallet chain and much too large silver belt jangled against each other, his belt half way falling from his waist. Not even his arms were free of the cold, wearing his fingerless laced up black gloves.

Joseph was almost ready to give up on his search for his strange, misbegotten friend when suddenly he felt a rubber gloved hand grasp his bare shoulder. He whipped around, eyes already brimming with tears and mouth screaming bloody murder at a pitch only a dog could hear. This was it, a Repo Man had finally come for his heart and eyes. He clenched his eyes shut as he continued screaming and thrashing away from the impending figure before another gloved hand clamped over his mouth and snapped a harsh 'shut the fuck up'. Joseph opened his eyes slowly, not really wanting to stare into that blank, cold face he'd seen finish off others so nonchalantly.

And then a bloody nosed, yowling Elliot was sent flying backwards onto the cold, slimy floor by the force of Joseph's punching him straight in the face.

"You asshole! Don't scare me like that, you nearly gave me a heart attack!" yelled Joseph with his fists still clenched. Elliot got up slowly, groaning in pain as he pinched his nose in an attempt to halt the bleeding.

"I wasn't trying to scare you, geez! Ugh, I think you broke my nose - again. You really need to learn better social skills Princey." Elliot said, still cocky as ever even with a possibly broken nose.

"Why are you even wearing those dumb gloves anyway? Finally convinced my previous statement about Kori Sweet having rabies is correct?" Joseph said, irritably at first but ending with a playful smirk.

"Okay first of all, Kori Sweet is rich. And powerful. And obviously does not have rabies. Second of all, We. Are not. A thing. I don't care that she goes around telling everyone I'm wrapped around her sausage finger, she's mean and nothing but a cruel, cold hearted bitch. Not my type." Elliot said snappily.

"And the gloves are for the rotting corpses I just had a little trade with. Just because I'm a graverobber does not mean I'm some filthy, disease ridden slob." Elliot said, crinkling his nose in disgust at the last few words.

"So," Elliot continued as Joseph strugglingly hopped up to sit on top of a large crate.

"What are you here for beautiful? Finally given into my masterful ways of charm and decided to buy some Z? Or have you come simply for the pleasure of mocking and punching me for your own enjoyment?" Elliot said as he spun a Zydrate gun around his finger dangerously yet with the precision of someone years into the practice.

"Ha-ha. No. You're...really the only person I know who isn't completely insane or, well, dead. I...don't have anywhere else to go now that my mom's tomb is under lockdown from Geneco patrol. You're the closest thing I have to a friend." Joseph said somberly as Elliot stopped in place to feel a swell go through his heart.

"Friend? I'm...I'm really your friend kid?" Elliot asked earnestly with wide eyes as Joseph continued eyeing the ground and swinging his feet. Elliot was indeed a graverobber. No family, no real friends.

"Of course you are. You've been kinder to me than anyone else I've ever met. You saved me from the Repo alarm when they came after Kori even though it could've meant your getting caught. Of course you're my friend Elliot." Joseph said with a soft smile.

Elliot chuckled softly as he hopped to sit next to his small friend on the crate with ease, swinging his tattoo ridden arm around Joey's shoulders playfully. He hadn't expected Joey to lean into him like that, but Elliot was okay with it. Joey wrapped one of his small, pale arms around Elliot's waist and buried his face into the graverobber's chest with a quiet murmur that sounded something like 'why are you so freakishly warm'.

A dirty, gritty, Zydrate black market alley wasn't the ideal place for the infamous graverobber Kyd Wykkyd to realize he'd come down with the biggest, most terrible crush of his life, but sometimes things just happen that way. Times like these were more precious to Elliot than all the Zydrate in the world. Times where he could just close his eyes and know that someone had his back, where he could pretend that he lived in a different, less abusive world. Times didn't come around often, but when they did, Elliot held on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Read and review please! Sorry if it's kinda lame, but I've been obsessed with everything about Repo lately, and am planning on watching Devil's Carnival later today. DO NOT WATCH REPO IF YOU ARE SQUEAMISH. I know a lot of people will listen to songs or watch movies mentioned in stories on fanfic but while repo is an AMAZING MUSICAL, it's also A HORROR MOVIE. DO NOT WATCH IF YOU AREN'T INTO THAT KINDA STUFF. It does have an amazing plot besides the killing though!


	15. Continued Repo! At The Genetic Opera AU

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have some more Repo! At the Genetic Opera AU? I know it doesn't really make any sense but here: Shilo/Jericho, Adeline/Marni, Slade/Nathan, Kyd Wykkyd/Graverobber, Brother Blood/Rotti, Billy Numerous/Pavi, Private HIVE/Luigi, Blackfire/Amber, Harley Quinn/Blind Mag. Eh? Just take it. ALso thank XxPhoenix FlightxX for some of the ideas!

Joseph stared up at a huge picture hanging on the wall of the crypt he was sitting in in an almost menacing way. Adeline. Adeline Wilson. Joseph barely knew anything about his mother, and yet he resented her with all the fire a teenage prisoner could have. She was the reason the only way he could see the outside world was by sneaking into an abandoned crypt. What was she like? He often wondered to himself. Was she as 'reckless' and 'dangerous' as father said Joseph was? Joseph's glaring softened a bit as he brought his knees to his chest, he hated this feeling of...pettiness.

That's when he heard a small buzzing noise...a glowing scorpion. He'd never seen anything like it, and thinking back he wished he'd never spotted the bug. That bug led to his meeting the boy who'd essentially ruin and free his life. A graverobber by the name of Kyd Wykkyd who seemed to have an affinity for screaming in the middle of heavily guarded cemeteries where you would be shot on sight. That foolish, self absorbed, dirty idiot would lead to both Joseph's most striking hour of grief and his first taste of real freedom.

Would he change a thing about that night? About chasing the bug and finding the graverobber? Even about being caught up close by Repo Men? Not for the world would he dare.

\-----------------------------------------------

"Shut the fuck up!" Joseph whisper yelled at the graverobber next to him. He had no idea who this idiot was, and he didn't care. Now, because this 'Kyd Wykkyd' had said he was better at thieving when he sang, Joseph and he were both hidden behind a group of tombstones.

Joseph watched in half disgust, half amazement as the menacing syringe Kyd inserted into a dead man's body drew out a strange glowing blue liquid. Joseph shook his head from his stupor, once again biting his nails and muttering quietly to himself things like 'why me? Why did I have to meet you of all people? I'm going to die here because of you and I'm never going to see father again and dear god why the hell are you putting that thing in that corpse's nostril?'.

Kyd's low humming soon became low singing as Joseph clenched his fingers in a vice grip on the uncomfortable surface of the tombstone, watching an alert guard pass them without questioning Kyd's singing thank god. Kyd continued, only lightly increasing in volume to ignore the robotic warning about Zydrate coming from some unknown speaker.

Joseph whipped around to glare and lowly hiss another 'shut up you idiot!' only to hear Kyd continue, even louder this time to piss off his newfound accomplice.

"You...can finance your bones...and your kindeys~. For every market a submarket grows~...but best you be punctual with making your payments...Lest it be you on the concrete below~." Kyd sang lowly, smirking at the sight of Joseph obviously fighting the shivers going down his spine as Kyd sang 'below'.

"It's quick...it's clean...it's pure. It could change your life, rest assured~! It's the 21st Century cure~!" Kyd continued, finally filling up his stark syringe. He gave Joseph a devious look before getting up on his feet, but still crouching, ready to stand up.

Joseph shook his head feverently, having a terrible idea of what he was about to do. Joseph realized that there were some idiots in the world who really would sacrifice their life for their pride, but no one was this stupid!...right?

"And it's my job...to steal and rob~..." Kyd continued at a near whisper, leaning over so that Joseph could hear perfectly. Joseph barely had time to mouth a quick 'don't you dare-!' before Kyd sprung up to stand at full height and take in a huge breath.

"GRAVES~!" Kyd howled into the night air with guttural force as Joseph quickly panicked and felt tears prick his eyes as the door to the crypt shut tight.

Almost immediately, menacing lights and booming microphoned voices were on the two graverobbers. Joseph breath started heaving as he gasped for air, he had no medication with him, no way to get home. Kyd saw this and quickly scooped him up muttering a quiet 'C'mon kid' before hiding them both in some large area filled with bodies.

Joseph resisted his urge to puke and instead gagged and hid his eyes in the jacket of the graverobber, that is until two large arms scooped him away and back into the claws of the Repo.

\-----------------------------------------------

Joseph coughed harshly, slowly waking up from his stupor condition. Before he could even register what was happening the booming voice of his father fully awoken him.

"Joseph, you're alright! Well, of course you're alright I mean I am a doctor…" Slade Wilson mumbled under his breath as he read off various labels of countless pills.

"Dad...What...happened…?" Joseph said weakly, finally recalling the crypt, the bodies, the charming graverobber that had attempted to save him.

"You passed out, dammit Joseph! How many times have I told you to take your medicine?" Slade chided condescendingly, not noticing Joseph's rolling eyes.

"I didn't dream this up Dad! I saw it! I saw...I saw bodies, and the Repo, and-!" hurried the still startled boy, not paying his now rapidly beating heart monitor any attention at all.

"Joseph really, that's ridiculous! Just...Just drop it. I have work I need to attend to, please just...take your medicine Joey." Slade said sharply as he got up and walked out of the stark room, locking the boy in quickly.

Joseph rolled his eyes before groaning and laying back down on his white bed. He resisted the urge to flip the door his father had just left him from off. He hadn't imagined this...had he? Maybe this was yet another lucky surprise he got from dear old mother. He sat up sharply and glared at the picture of the late woman, amazed he hadn't already ripped it to shreds or thrown something at it. God he just...he hated her! He hated his father! Why did he have to pay for his mother's faulty DNA…?

\-----------------------------------------------

Joseph ignored the subtle pain in his shoulder where Kyd Wykkyd had yanked him into a dark, impending alleyway with posters that said 'Zydrate Support Meetings' plastered everywhere. Why did the graverobber save him from the claws of Brother Blood and his spawn at the fair?

The arrogant drug dealer strode around the vicinity, waving around a glowing vial of Zydrate and gathering hungry addicts like dogs around him. Joseph decided to just lean on a wall and watch from a distance, hoping to be left alone until he started for home. No such luck, of course.

Kyd Wykkyd made his way over to where Joseph was, leaning on his arm which was stretched across the wall and essentially trapping Joseph where he was.

"So," the dealer began, "Is there a reason a pretty little thing like you decided it was a good idea to go anywhere with a nasty thing like Brother Blood? What on Earth were you thinking hanging around someone like that?" to which the dealer received stubborn silence and a cross-armed, glaring Joseph. Kyd rolled his eyes at the other's somewhat girly behavior before hearing the voice of true malice.

"Graverobber! Graverobber! Where are you?" Yelled the high pitched voice of Kori Sweet, or as Kyd Wykkyd knew her, Blackfire.

"Hide." Demanded Kyd sharply. If Blackfire found out Kyd was affiliated with Joseph in anyway, his Zydrate business was over. Not to mention some humane part of his cold, dead heart kind of liked the boy and found him a little cute. Therefore he did not want Joseph to die.

"Where?" Joseph hissed quietly as Kyd furrowed his eyebrows in frustration.

Kyd hurriedly picked Joseph tiny frame up above the ground by his waist and dropped him in an empty dumpster before closing the lid and sitting cross legged on it, ensuring Joseph won't escape and get himself caught.

"Why hello Miss Sweet, how may I help you this fine evening? I'm very busy don't you know, ah...A little bird just begging for some of me!" Kyd rushed, trying to distract Kori from the banging against the dumpster door Joseph was doing. It took barely fifteen minutes for Kyd to hurriedly slip Kori some of the Zydrate before shooing her away and hopping off the dumpster. The dark lid burst open, banging against the brick wall as a more than indignant and slightly vile smelling Joseph climbed out of the rotting cart angrily.

"How dare you, ugh no wonder you always smell so terrible! And, quick question, why are you so adamant on constantly picking me up and dragging me places? As for what you told Blackfire about me," Joseph snapped disgusted.

"In. Your. Dreams." Joseph said pointedly, glaring daggers straight into the graverobbers ruby eyes.

"You...you selfish jerk! Ugh, I can't believe I actually thought you were cute…" the blonde muttered under his breath as he marched in the opposite direction of Kyd.

"W-wait! Where are you...where are you going love?" Kyd asked, earnestly disappointed he'd managed to screw things up again with the blonde. He ran to catch up to him, blocking his path and sighing at the familiar glaring expression the sick boy gave him.

"Look...if you're going to leave at least take this. And...let me help you home?" Kyd asked the boy sadly while handing him a magazine with Blind Mag on the cover. He hated to be the bearer of bad news, but someone had to do something about Mag's possible death and it sure as hell couldn't be a graverobber.

Joseph softened at how his words had affected the taller thief and delicately took the flimsy book from his hands, agreeing to let Kyd help him find his way home...for now.

\-----------------------------------------------

"You're...You're my god-mother?" said Joseph awestruck, trying to distract himself from the floating figment of his late mother singing that was being broadcast from her eyes.

"But you're Blind Mag! How…? I…" Joseph blurted in response to the star's cryptic nodding.

"Harleen, actually. Harleen Quinzel. I am...like you. Caged, trapped. I knew your mother well, you look just like her…" The blonde woman trailed off in thought.

Joseph just shook his head in disbelief, silently begging the woman he'd worshipped for so long to just leave already. If Joseph's father found Ma-...Harleen here, then there would be plenty of trouble, mostly for Joseph.

Little did Joseph know that one little phrase would stick with him for the rest of his life, already he was beginning to subconsciously murmur it under his breath.

"Chase the morning...yield for nothing…" Adeline whispered amidst Joseph's thoughts.

Joseph shook his head of the haunting voice before attempting to reason with Harleen, knowing that if she stayed too long then his father would be very angry. He'd been getting away with sneaking out so far, but if father had any idea Joseph had step foot out of his bedroom there would be hell to pay.

But before Joseph could make a choice between darting to his bedroom and pushing his godmother outside, the eerie figure of his father was standing in the doorway. Slade stepped forward, a gruesome scowl on his face and simply muttered a dark "Mag."

\-----------------------------------------------

"D...D-Dad…? You...You're…" Joseph uttered brokenly as he dropped the steel shovel he was holding up defensively, backing away slowly like his father would attack at any moment. He couldn't breathe, couldn't speak, everything he'd ever known his whole life was crumbling down along with what little trust he had in his father.

Slade lay on the hard, cold tile ground with blood slowly seeping from the head wound Joseph had given him. He stood up slowly, every muscle that moved sending pained shocks up and down his body making it harder to breathe. Slade finally made it to his legs, coughing up a little blood from his mouth before finishing Joseph's sentence for him.

"...A Repo Man." Slade finished for his terrified son. He could barely look at Joseph without choking up now. He knew that face, it'd haunted his dreams so many nights. When he had killed his beautiful wife Adeline, she'd given him a look of horror. She stared at him like a monster as tears pricked her emerald eyes and her hair became matted with her own blood. Even after seventeen years, it's so impossibly hard not to blame himself.

Slade looked up to his son one more time. Joseph was backed up against the wall, but all Slade could see was his poor, poor Adeline. Joseph had her hair, just shorter and blonde. He also had Adeline's emerald, tear pricked eyes and her horrified expression.

"Didn't I tell you...Didn't I tell you not to leave? Did I not tell you how cruel the world really was, Joseph?" Slade demanded as he leaned over to pick his surgical scalpel back up.

Joseph could barely muster a heart wrenching "you did" with blank, sterile eyes as his world fell apart, and possibly his sanity.

"Come on Joey, please just come home. Let's forget all of this, we can go back to how it was. Please, I was only trying to protect you." Slade said softly, reaching his hand out for his only son.

Joseph looked up and down slowly between the face of his father and the cruel silver glint of the yet to be stained scalpel. That was the moment where Joseph could hear his world shatter.

"Protect me…? Protect me?! This is how you would protect me? You...You're a monster! A demon! A...A killer! You kept me hidden away from the world, you told me it was evil when I was sitting there...being infected by your lies!" Joseph yelled furiously at his father, now clenching his fists as his eyes heated up with the unchained fury of someone trapped and lied to for their entire lives.

"I...I…" Joseph said, getting dizzier and watching the room reel and spin before closing his eyes and feeling warm, hot tears roll down his face as he shook his head in his own denial. He could practically feel his father inching towards him, could hear his words already. 'Stupid, ignorant child, look what you've done now, gone and gotten yourself into a coma, what would your mother think?'.

"I hate you!" Joseph screeched like a banshee at a startled Slade who pulled his hand back and took a step away out of surprise.

"I hate mother! I hate you! I hope you go and die you monster!" Joseph screamed at him before bolting out of the gray room and into a foreboding dark hallway, hoping to find Kyd.

Slade stood staring painfully at the spot his son was just a moment ago, before tightening his resolve for good. He grabbed his scalpel, forgot the helmet and whatever morality he had left. Tonight...blood would run, the streets would be painted with red. Brother Blood, Billy Numerous, Private HIVE, Blackfire, they would all pay at the opera tonight.


	16. Sleep

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TRIGGER WARNING!: mentions of suicide, cutting, alcohol, and cursing. I DON'T KNOW WHY I FELT THE URGE TO WELCOME MYSELF BACK WITH THIS BUT I'M CRYING HELP.

Elliot opened his eyes to a blinding white light. What happened…? He could barely remember. All he knew is that he felt weightless and that he couldn't see anything but white. And then the white slowly faded into black, he felt hot. He smelled fire and rotting flesh...Before the stench and the temperature could get any worse, he felt a white hot pain shoot up his arm and a hand drag him away from the dark.

When he finally opened his eyes, he remembered everything. He was back in his room...but he still felt weightless and a little sick. Slowly he started hearing someone calling his name...it was soft and scratchy at first, like listening to an out of tune radio station. Slowly the voice came full force though he still couldn't place who it was.

Elliot whipped around, his heart stopping cold at the sight of a tall pale woman with wings of pure light protruding from her back. She slowly removed her white hood for Elliot to stare at her piercing yellow eyes. Those eyes accused him of something...and then finally everything came rushing back to him and he felt like doubling over and throwing up from all the memory.

Elliot Matthew Knight is dead. Elliot had finally done it...He'd finally let all the pain and the depression catch up to him and he killed himself. He remembered every detail so perfectly. He remembered the cold, stinging pain of the knife sliding so evilly down his arm. He remembered his thick, hot black blood rolling down his pale skin and pooling on the floor at his feet. He remembered passing out and feeling cold. So...so cold. He was still cold.

He didn't mean to...He didn't. But maybe it was for the best. All the weight...all the pain and mental anguish was gone now. Now maybe Jinx wouldn't have to worry all the time...Raven wouldn't have to deal with how annoying he was...Joey could finally find someone who was worth it. Someone pure and pretty and real. Elliot thought when he'd finally died he'd feel immense sorrow...or joy...or something. But all he felt was empty.

"Elliot Knight...I am Erasibeth. I am-" Started the pale and beautiful woman before Elliot, her lean figure bending down to Elliot's height to speak with him. Her voice faded in and out like a radio station once again...like she wasn't all the way here yet.

"An angel. I know. The hell do you want with me?" Elliot interrupted quickly. Elliot was always good at that, being under immense emotional pressure yet still managing to pop off at authority like the delinquent he was. It helped distract him from his current state. He tried his hardest not to smirk when the ghostly figure in front of him visibly cringed and balled up it's fist at hearing the word 'hell'.

"I am here to help you, foolish boy. Though I know already you do not want it. There are some people of this life...of Earth...that the Maker gives a second chance. You, for some reason are one them. Elliot Knight, you killed yourself by blade of knife. But the Maker has seen your fate. And without you, the world and much of it's people will perish from the Great War ahead of you. The era of superheroes and villians may be a fulfilling one, but it will soon bring great death and destruction to Earth. You play an unbelievably heavy role in the War that will bring hope and life back to Earth once it is over. If you kill yourself now, you are also killing millions of innocent lives with you." Eracebeth explained in her deep, foreboding voice.

Elliot shook his head in denial. Him, a savior among people? A hero? Never, he refused to believe this tall tale that the angel had set before him. Eracebeth shook her head in disappointment before waving her arm across Elliot's bedroom, transforming it into a black void filled with clocks and chimes that hurt Elliot's ears.

"If you won't accept my offer of life for yourself and the Earth's strangers, then maybe you'll accept it once you see what your choice of death does to those you keep close." Eracebeth said as she called for the scene to change.

The clocks surrounding Elliot all started to spin in a blur, but all stopped at the same time. According to a digital one to Elliot's side, it was a mere few hours after Elliot's death. As Elliot turned around, he saw his room once again. Though he was more than a little unsettled at the pale, stiff body that was him lying on the floor. All was dead silence, until he heard a small knock on his door.

The knocks slowly grew more frequent and obviously worried over the fact that Elliot wasn't answering. Elliot couldn't imagine who would be so worried...no one really cared about him except…

"Please God no…." Elliot whispered to himself as his heart dropped and the realization hit him like a truck.

Joseph seemed to have found the key to the door as he slipped into the cluttered room, happy as always. His beautiful, bright smile and his soft features quickly shattered as he spotted Elliot laying on the floor in a pool of his own blood. Joseph walked towards Elliot's body anxiously, scolding him for trying to mess with his boyfriend like that.

Elliot wanted to close his eyes but he couldn't. He couldn't move at all. All he could do was stand and watch as the love of his life broke into hysterics, crying floods of agony and screaming like his very heart and soul were being ripped from his body. Joseph screamed and shrieked and howled at Elliot's unmoving body as Joseph shook his shoulders desperately, begging him to wake up. Not to leave him here alone. Joseph finally stopped shaking him and sobbed violently into Elliot's chest, holding him closely and tightly. He paid no mind to the fact that Elliot's blood was staining his clothes or that he was crying so hard he couldn't breathe. His voice broken from all the yelling, he just kept whispering hatefully at Elliot's corpse. 'How dare you', 'You can't leave me, please, you promised me...you can't leave me…', 'You're all I have you motherfucking idiot...you're the only one….I….'.

Elliot finally snapped from his daze and closed his eyes, pricking back tears at watching Joseph fall apart.

"STOP! S...stop…! Don't make me watch this….Don't…" Elliot said to Eracebeth brokenly.

Eracebeth simply closed her eyes and commanded once again for the clocks around them to change the scenery. This time it seemed that they had stopped three months after the date of Elliot's suicide.

This time they had stopped at what Elliot could tell was Jinx's room. But now, everything was ripped apart and broken. Her sketchbook lay in tatters at her feet, Elliot finally spotted what was left of Jinx.

After her metaphorical big brother passed away at his hand, Jinx fell into depression worse than Elliot's. Jinx's pale eyes stared lifelessly at the ceiling, and Elliot could see the scars running up and down her arms. She smelled of alcohol and she looked like a mess. Her pretty pink hair was mussed and dirty, fraying in different directions, and she didn't look like she'd eaten in days. Jinx was asleep, clutching a broken photograph of Elliot and Jinx together as children when they'd first met. Tears stained her pale, sunken cheeks and she looked almost as dead as Elliot felt.

Elliot shook his head but didn't utter a sound. Jinx. Jaya Salem. His Jinx...was broken. And it was his fault. Jinx was the strongest person he'd ever met in his life, so much anguish and sorrow had happened in her life and yet she was strong and independent. Or so she was.

Eracebeth changed the scene one last time, dropping them both off in Joseph's room this time. Elliot shook his head in confusion as he saw the blonde boy peacefully asleep on his bed. Eracebeth simply pointed towards the bed and motioned for Elliot to remove the covers.

Elliot felt like ripping himself apart molecule by molecule.

His Joey. His Josebelle. His beautiful, amazing, kind, perfect drop of sunshine lay dead on his own bed, clutching a handgun as if it were a teddy bear. The most unnerving thing about the disturbing scene is that while Elliot was in pain dying, Joseph looked happy. Almost joyful. He had that same beautiful, soft smile Elliot had always seen when he walked through the door to his apartment plastered on his pale, dead face. There was blood running down the wound in his head and dripping onto his bed sheets, but he looked still as happy as ever. In his other hand, Joseph held a picture of Elliot to him like it was his lifeline.

Elliot reached up into his hair and pulled out strands of the thick ebony vines while shaking his head and mentally falling apart. Before he could do or say anything Eracebeth changed the scene again to Joseph's gravestone, right next to Elliot's.

"Please no! No! I'll...I'll stay alive! I'll do anything! Please just! Don't do this to me! Don't do this to them! PLEASE!" Elliot sobbed angrily as he fell to his knees and clutched onto the fabric of Eracebeth's dress.

Eracebeth simply smiled knowingly and bent down to Elliot's tear stained face, lifting it up by his chin to face him fully.

"You are destined for greatness. For love and compassion. For life." Eracebeth said in her ghostly way, her voice seeming to ricochet off their surrounding and morphing them. Suddenly a piercing noise invading Elliot's sense of hearing, causing him to squint his eyes shut and cover his ears. After a few moments, it was over.

Elliot opened his eyes to see his ceiling. He felt around and he felt that he was in his bed. He placed a hand on his heart and it was pumping blood. He was alive. Elliot wanted to jump up and yell for joy, but found a light weight on his chest stopped him.

Elliot looked down at his living, breathing, loving boyfriend, asleep on his chest like the angel he was.

Joseph was alive. Elliot was alive. He wouldn't ever want it any other way again.


	17. Valentine's Day

Crowe sat idly on the ledge of some random building in Jump City, swinging his short legs back and forth as he pouted childishly. Today was none other than Valentine's Day, and he'd become more than a little pissed at his dismissive boyfriend. The whole day seemed to roll by like every other day for them; except today Joseph had to make a visible effort not to punch Elliot in the face.

Joseph didn´t like to admit this, he never did so often, but he felt broken hearted. Since the incident when he was a child, hed always held his guard up as to not let anyone close enough to him to hurt him. Elliot wasn't like other people though, and so he let his guard down. And now Joseph wanted to cry. The one person who always said he'd never leave him, never forget about him, had done just what everyone else in the world had.

Crowe had to admit to himself, he probably was overreacting. It was just a stupid holiday after all. But still, it cut deep and no matter what he did he couldn't seem to ditch the hot pain of his depression. He looked down on the lit up streets below once again, the sight of couples walking hand in hand only making him sicker. Crowe sighed in defeat one last time before resolving to just change and sleep his troubles away at Titans Tower.

Crowe was stopped short however, as he stood up and turned to find millions of mock roses littering the rooftop. Mock roses were a beautiful type of other-worldly plant that Joseph himself had named and that he was introduced to via Kyd Wykkyd. They were roses with snow white buds and stems black as ink, covered in torture like thorns that seemed to almost glow with black energy from the dimension they inhabited.

Elliot was the only person who knew about Joseph's fondness of the beautiful plant, and Joseph couldn't help but burst into a smile as he picked one up gently and caressed the delicate petals. It wasn't long before he started smiling so hard it hurt as he felt the strong, pale arms of his boyfriend wrap around his frame. He looked up brightly and whipped around to wrap his arms around Elliot's neck, only just then noticing Elliot's attire and giggling lightly into his neck.

Elliot wore a black long sleeved dress undershirt with a purple dress vest and one of the openly blossomed mock roses on his chest pocket. He wore dark purple pants with his normal worn down sneaker and for once had brushed his hair. He admittedly looked...charming.

"I...I thought that you-" Crowe began, ignoring the cracks in his own voice at his own surprise and guilt for ever doubting Elliot.

"Forgot about you?" Elliot finished for the younger boy, chuckling endearingly as he brushed a tuft of blonde hair behind Joseph's ear. Elliot tried his very hardest to ignore the way his heart swelled immensely at the sight of his boyfriend's admiring stare, the same feeling he got when he first laid eyes on the mysterious birdie before him.

"How rude of you to infer such a thing. Honestly you wound me, love." Elliot said playfully as he nuzzled into Joseph's hair sweetly, inhaling the drug like scent that was Joseph Wilson. Once he came down from his metaphorical high, he gingerly plucked the mock rose Joseph was holding from his small hands and placed it in Crowe's still mangled hair. Elliot received another one of Joseph's dazzling smiles in return for the gesture.

"I could never forget about you silly birdie. Especially on Valentine's Day. I knew how much today meant to you, but I had to act like more of an asshole than usual to pull together this little stunt you see. The roses are Poison Ivy's, though I did have a little help from Quinn to get them here." Elliot explained just above a whisper.

Crowe giggled lightly before resting his head on Elliot's chest, sighing sadly before properly apologizing.

"I'm...I'm so sorry I doubted you Elliot. I just...I'm so sick of people leaving me out and forgetting about me and-" Joseph rushed quickly.

"And that sickness is justified. But I promise I won't ever do that to you. Now, I have two reservations for that fancy place in Jump you like so much. Care to join me Mr. Wilson?" Elliot asked smartly as he bowed down and took Joseph's hand to lightly kiss.

"I'd love to...even if you are a huge nerd." Chuckled Joseph heartily.

Elliot rolled his eyes and smiled in response, standing up fully. Joseph quickly snatched Elliot's hand before pulling Elliot towards him and wrapping his small arms around Elliot's lanky frame.

"Before we leave I think maybe this nerd deserves a little reward for his admittedly over the top work." Joseph said before standing on the tips of his toes to actually reach Elliot's lips and kissing him softly on the dark rooftop. For once Elliot really didn't feel like holding back and quickly deepened the loving kiss, silently smirking to himself when he felt Joseph start to tremble at the knees.

While most couples dreamed of the perfect Valentine's Day not being hidden in the shadows of a musty rooftop, kissing in secret to avoid the disappointment of friends and family, to the two lovesick birds of Jump City it was perfect. It was hard trying to make a relationship like theirs work, but in times like these it was more than worth it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Read and review please!


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